HAMK  i! 


. 
i 


A  JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 


[Page  105.] 


HANG!  BANG!  BANG!— SEVEN  TIMES." 


A  JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP 


BY 


FRANK  R.  STOCKTON 

AUTHOR  of  -'RUDDER  GRANGE,"  KTC. 


ILLUSTRATED 


NEW-YORK 

CHARLES    SCRIBNER'S    SONS 
1903 


Copyright,  1880,  by 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS. 


This  story  is  told  by  Will  Gordon,  a  young  fellow 
about  sixteen  years  old,  who  saw  for  himself  every 
thing  worth  seeing  in  the  course  of  the  events  he 
relates,  and  so  knows  much  more  about  them  than  any 
one  who  would  have  to  depend  upon  hearsay.  Will  is 
a  good-looking  boy,  with  brown  hair  and  gray  eyes, 
rather  large  for  his  age,  and  very  fond  of  being  a 
leader  among  his  young  companions.  Whether  or  not 
he  is  good  at  that  sort  of  thing,  you  can  judge  from 
the  story  he  tells. 


340411 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter. 

I.    WE  MAKE  A  START 


II.  GOING  BACK  WITH  THE  PILOT                        .     16 

III.  RECTUS  OPENS  His  EYES       ....        29 

IV.  To  THE  RESCUE       .......    43 

V.  STORMING  SAN  MARCO      .....        56 

VI.  THE  GIRL  ON  THE  BEACH   .....    69 

VII.  MR.  CHIPPERTON   .......        88 

VIII.  THE  STEAM-BOAT  IN  THE  FOREST     .       .       .  100 

IX.  THE  THREE  GRAY  BEANS        .      .      .       .      116 

X.  THE  QUEEN  ON  THE  DOOR-STEP      .       .       .128 

XI.  REGAL  PROJECTS  .......      140 

XII.  RECTUS  LOSES  RANK     ......  154 

XIII.  THE  CORONATION        ......      166 

XIV.  A  HOT  CHASE  .....      .      .      .178 

XV.  A  STRANGE  THING  HAPPENS  TO  ME  .       .      191 

XVI.  MR.  CHIPPERTON  KEEPS  PERFECTLY  COOL  .  204 

XVII.  WHAT  BOY  HAS  DONE,  BOY  MAY  Do       .      217 

XVIII.  I  WAKE  UP  MR.  CHIPPERTON     .       ...  229 


X  CONTENTS. 

XIX.  THE  LIFE-RAFT 241 

XX.  THE  RUSSIAN  BARK 252 

XXI.  THE  TRIP  OF  THE  TUG 263 

XXII.  LOOKING  AHEAD 274 

XXIII.  UNCLE  CHIPPERTON'S  DINNER  ....      285 

XXIV.  THE  STORY  ENDS 296 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Page. 
"BANG!  BANG!  BANG!  — SEVEN  TIMES."     (Frontispiece.) 

"  SHE  SEIZED  ME  BY  BOTH  HANDS  " 10 

THE  VESSEL  is  OFF 17 

SCOTT  AND  THE  CAPTAIN 19 

RECTUS  AND  THE  LEMONS 27 

" '  HOLD  YOUR  TONGUE  K'  ROARED  MR.  RANDALL  " 32 

"  RECTUS  SHOWED  ME  THE  MAP  " 35 

"  How?  " 46 

"  ANOTHER  BEAN  " 64 

"  THE  GENTLEMAN  WAVED  His  HAT  TO  Us  " 80 

"WHY,  How  Do  You  Do?  " 88 

"VOY-EZZ  VOWS  CETT  HOMMY  ETT  SES  DUCKS  FEMMYS  SEELAH?".IIO 

"  WE  SAW  HER  SLOWLY  RISING  BENEATH  Us  " 119 

" '  ALL  RIGHT,'  SAID  GOLIAH,  WITH  A  SMILE  " 157 

A  SMALL  DIVE 170 

"  I  WOULD  N'T  LIKE  IT  MYSELF  " 197 

"  WE  STRUCK  OUT  TOGETHER  FOR  THE  BOAT  " 224 

"  '  KEEP  PERFECTLY  COOL,'  SAID  MR.  CHIPPERTON  " 239 

"RECTUS  HELPED  ME  TO  FASTEN  THE  LIFE-PRESERVER  " 243 

"  You  'RE  A  REGULAR  YOUNG  TRUMP  " 277 


A    JOLLY    FELLOWSHIP. 


CHAPTER  I. 

WE   MAKE  A   START. 

I  WAS  sitting  on  the  deck  of  a  Savannah  steam-ship, 
which  was  lying  at  a  dock  in  the  East  River,  New 
York.  I  was  waiting  for  young  Rectus,  and  had  already 
waited  some  time;  which  surprised  me,  because  Rectus 
was,  as  a  general  thing,  a  very  prompt  fellow,  who 
seldom  kept  people  waiting.  But  it  was  probably 
impossible  for  him  to  regulate  his  own  movements  this 
time,  for  his  father  and  mother  were  coming  with  him, 
to  see  him  off. 

I  had  no  one  there  to  see  me  off,  but  I  did  not  care 
for  that.  I  was  sixteen  years  old,  and  felt  quite  like  a 
man;  whereas  Rectus  was  only  fourteen,  and  could  n't 
possibly  feel  like  a  man  —  unless  his  looks  very  much 
belied  his  feelings.  My  father  and  mother  and  sister 
lived  in  a  small  town  some  thirty  miles  from  New  York, 
and  that  was  a  very  good  reason  for  their  not  coming 
to  the  city  just  to  see  me  sail  away  in  a  steam-ship. 
They  took  a  good  leave  of  me,  though,  before  I  left 
home. 


2  :-'eV' \A.~:  JOLLY -FELLOWSHIP. 

I  shall  never  forget  how  I  first  became  acquainted 
with  Rectus.  About  a  couple  of  years  before,  he  was 
a  new  boy  in  the  academy  at  Willisville.  One  Saturday, 
a  lot  of  us  went  down  to  the  river  to  swim.  Our  favorite 
place  was  near  an  old  wharf,  which  ran  out  into  deep 
water,  and  a  fellow  could  take  a  good  dive  there,  when 
the  tide  was  high.  There  were  some  of  the  smaller  boys 
along  that  day,  but  they  did  n't  dive  any,  and  if  they 
even  swam,  it  was  in  shallow  water  near  the  shore,  by 
the  side  of  the  wharf.  But  I  think  most  of  them  spent 
their  time  wading  about. 

I  was  a  good  swimmer,  and  could  dive  very  well.  I 
was  learning  to  swim  under  water,  but  had  not  done 
very  much  in  that  line  at  the  time  I  speak  of.  We 
were  nearly  ready  to  come  out,  when  I  took  a  dive  from 
a  post  on  the  end  of  the  wharf,  and  then  turned,  under 
water,  to  swim  in  shore.  I  intended  to  try  to  keep 
under  until  I  got  into  water  shallow  enough  for  me  to 
touch  bottom,  and  walk  ashore.  After  half  a  dozen 
strokes,  I  felt  for  the  bottom  and  my  feet  touched  it. 
Then  I  raised  my  head,  but  I  did  n't  raise  it  out  of  the 
water.  It  struck  something  hard. 

In  an  instant  I  knew  what  had  happened.  There 
was  a  big  mud-scow  lying  by  the  side  of  the  wharf,  and 
I  had  got  under  that !  It  was  a  great  flat  thing,  ever 
so  long  and  very  wide.  I  knew  I  must  get  from  under 
it  as  quickly  as  I  could.  Indeed,  I  could  hardly  hold 
my  breath  now.  I  waded  along  with  my  head  bent 
down,  but  I  did  n't  reach  the  side  of  it.  Then  I  turned 
the  other  way,  but  my  hands,  which  I  held  up,  still 
touched  nothing  but  the  hard,  slimy  bottom  of  the  scow. 


WE    MAKE   A    START.  3 

I  must  have  been  wading  up  and  down  the  length  of  the 
thing.  I  was  bewildered.  I  could  n't  think  which  way 
to  turn.  I  could  only  think  of  one  thing.  I  would 
be  drowned  in  less  than  a  minute.  Scott  would  be 
head  of  the  class.  My  mother,  and  little  Helen  —  but 
I  can't  tell  what  my  thoughts  were  then.  They  were 
dreadful.  But  just  as  I  was  thinking  of  Helen  and 
mother,  I  saw  through  the  water  some  white  things, 
not  far  from  me.  I  knew  by  their  looks  that  they  were 
a  boy's  legs. 

I  staggered  toward  them,  and  in  a  moment  my 
hands  went  out  of  water,  just  at  the  side  of  the  scow. 
I  stood  up,  and  my  head  with  half  my  body  came  up 
into  the  air. 

What  a  breath  I  drew!  But  I  felt  so  weak  and 
shaky  that  I  had  to  take  hold  of  the  side  of  the  scow, 
and  stand  there  for  a  while  before  I  waded  ashore. 
The  boy  who  was  standing  by  me  was  Rectus.  He 
did  not  have  that  name  then,  and  I  did  n't  know 
him. 

"  It  must  be  pretty  hard  to  stay  under  water  so 
long,"  he  said. 

"  Hard !  "  I  answered,  as  soon  as  I  could  get  my 
breath ;  "  I  should  think  so.  Why,  I  came  near  being 
drowned !" 

"Is  that  so?"  said  he;  "I  did  n't  know  that.  I  saw 
you  go  down,  and  have  been  watching  for  you  to 
come  up.  But  I  did  n't  expect  you  to  come  from 
under  the  scow." 

How  glad  I  was  that  he  had  been  standing  there 
watching  for  me  to  come  up !  If  he  had  not  been 


4  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

there,  or  if  his  legs  had  been  green  or  the  color  of 
water,  I  believe  I  should  have  drowned. 

I  always  liked  the  boy  after  that,  though,  of  course, 
there  was  no  particular  reason  for  it.  He  was  a 
boarder.  His  parents  lived  in  New  York.  Samuel 
Colbert  was  his  real  name,  and  the  title  of  Rectus  he 
obtained  at  school  by  being  so  good.  He  scarcely 
ever  did  anything  wrong,  which  was  rather  surprising 
to  the  rest  of  us,  because  he  was  not  sickly  or  any 
thing  of  that  kind.  After  a  while,  we  got  into  the 
way  of  calling  him  Rectus,  and  as  he  did  n't  seem  to 
mind  it,  the  name  stuck  to  him.  The  boys  generally 
liked  him,  and  he  got  on  quite  well  in  the  school, — in 
every  way  except  in  his  studies.  He  was  not  a  smart 
boy,  and  did  not  pretend  to  be. 

I  went  right  through  the  academy,  from  the  lowest 
to  the  highest  class,  and  when  I  left,  the  professor,  as 
we  called  our  principal,  said  that  I  was  ready  to  go  to 
college,  and  urged  me  very  much  to  do  so.  But  I  was 
not  in  any  hurry,  and  my  parents  agreed  with  me  that, 
after  four  years  of  school- life,  I  had  better  wait  a  while 
before  beginning  a  new  course.  All  this  disturbed  the 
professor  very  much,  but  he  insisted  on  my  keeping 
up  my  studies,  so  as  not  to  get  rusty,  and  he  came  up 
to  our  house  very  often,  fur  the  purpose  of  seeing 
what  I  was  doing  in  the  study  line,  and  how  I  was 
doing  it. 

I  thought  over  things  a  good  deal  for  myself,  and  a 
few  months  after  I  left  the  academy  I  made  up  my 
mind  to  travel  a  little.  I  talked  about  it  at  home,  and 
it  was  generally  thought  to  be  a  good  idea,  although 


WE    MAKE   A    START.  5 

my  sister  was  in  favor  of  it  only  in  case  I  took  her 
with  me.  Otherwise  she  opposed  it.  But  there  were 
a  great  many  reasons  why  I  could  not  take  her.  She 
was  only  eleven. 

I  had  some  money  of  my  own,  which  I  thought  I 
would  rather  spend  in  travel  than  in  any  other  way, 
and,  as  it  was  not  a  large  sum,  and  as  my  father  could 
not  afford  to  add  anything  to  it,  my  journey  could  not 
be  very  extensive.  Indeed,  I  only  contemplated  going 
to  Florida  and  perhaps  a  few  other  Southern  States, 
and  then — if  it  could  be  done — a  visit  to  some  of  the 
West  India  islands,  and,  as  it  was  winter-time,  that 
would  be  a  very  good  trip.  My  father  did  not  seem 
to  be  afraid  to  trust  me  to  go  alone.  He  and  the 
professor  talked  it  over,  and  they  thought  that  I  would 
take  good  enough  care  of  myself.  The  professor 
would  have  much  preferred  to  see  me  go  to  college, 
but,  as  I  was  not  to  do  that,  he  thought  travelling  much 
better  for  me  than  staying  at  home,  although  I  made 
no  promise  about  taking  my  books  along.  But  it  was 
pretty  well  settled  that  I  was  to  go  to  college  in  the 
fall,  and  this  consoled  him  a  little. 

The  person  who  first  suggested  this  travelling  plan 
was  our  old  physician,  Dr.  Mathews.  I  don't  know 
exactly  what  he  said  about  it,  but  I  knew  he  thought 
I  had  been  studying  too  hard,  and  needed  to  "let  up" 
for  a  while.  And  I  'm  sure,  too,  that  he  was  quite 
positive  that  I  would  have  no  let  up  as  long  as  I  staid 
in  the  same  town  with  the  professor. 

Nearly  a  year  before  this  time,  Rectus  had  left  the 
academy.  He  had  never  reached  the  higher  classes, — 


6  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

in  fact,  he  did  n't  seem  to  get  on  well  at  all.  He  stud 
ied  well  enough,  but  he  did  n't  take  hold  of  things 
properly,  and  I  believe  he  really  did  not  care  to  go 
through  the  school.  But  he  was  such  a  quiet  fellow 
that  we  could  not  make  much  out  of  him.  His  father 
was  very  rich,  and  we  all  thought  that  Rectus  was 
taken  away  to  be  brought  up  as  a  partner  in  the  firm. 
But  we  really  knew  nothing  about  it :  for,  as  I  found 
out  afterward,  Rectus  spent  all  his  time,  after  he  left 
school,  in  studying  music. 

Soon  after  my  trip  was  all  agreed  upon  and  settled, 
father  had  to  go  to  New  York,  and  there  he  saw  Mr. 
Colbert,  and  of  course  told  him  of  my  plans.  That 
afternoon,  old  Colbert  came  to  my  father's  hotel,  and 
proposed  to  him  that  I  should  take  his  son  with  me. 
He  had  always  heard,  he  said,  that  I  was  a  sensible 
fellow,  and  fit  to  be  trusted,  and  he  would  be  very  glad 
to  have  his  boy  travel  with  me.  And  he  furthermore 
said  that  if  I  had  the  care  of  Samuel — for  of  course  he 
did  n't  call  his  son  Rectus — he  would  pay  me  a  salary. 
He  had  evidently  read  about  young  English  fellows 
travelling  on  the  continent  with  their  tutors,  and  I 
suppose  he  wanted  me  to  be  his  son's  tutor,  or  some 
thing  like  it. 

When  father  told  me  what  Mr.  Colbert  had  proposed, 
I  agreed  instantly.  I  liked  Rectus,  and  the  salary 
would  help  immensely.  I  wrote  to  New  York  that 
very  night,  accepting  the  proposition. 

When  my  friends  in  the  town,  and  those  at  the 
school,  heard  that  Rectus  and  I  were  going  off 
together,  they  thought  it  an  uncommonly  good 


WE    MAKE   A    START.  7 

joke,  and  they  crowded  up  to  our  house  to  see 
me  about  it. 

"Two  such  good  young  men  as  you  and  Rectus 
travelling  together  ought  to  have  a  beneficial  influence 
upon  whole  communities,"  said  Harry  Alden;  and 
Scott  remarked  that  if  there  should  be  a  bad  storm  at 
sea,  he  would  advise  us  two  to  throw  everybody  else 
overboard  to  the  whales,  for  the  other  people  would  be 
sure  to  be  the  wicked  ones.  I  am  happy  to  say  that 
I  got  a  twist  on  Scott's  ear  that  made  him  howl,  and 
then  mother  came  in  and  invited  them  all  to  come  and 
take  supper  with  me,  the  Tuesday  before  I  started. 
We  invited  Rectus  to  come  up  from  the  city,  but  he 
did  not  make  his  appearance.  However,  we  got  on 
first-rate  without  him,  and  had  a  splendid  time.  There 
was  never  a  woman  who  knew  just  how  to  make  boys 
have  a  good  time,  like  my  mother. 

I  had  been  a  long  while  on  the  steamer  waiting  for 
Rectus.  She  was  to  sail  at  three  o'clock,  and  it  was 
then  after  two.  The  day  was  clear  and  fine,  but  so 
much  sitting  and  standing  about  had  made  me  cold,  so 
that  I  was  very  glad  to  see  a  carriage  drive  up  with 
Rectus  and  his  father  and  mother.  I  went  down  to 
them.  I  was  anxious  to  see  Rectus,  for  it  had  been 
nearly  a  year  since  we  had  met.  He  seemed  about  the 
same  as  he  used  to  be,  and  had  certainly  not  grown 
much.  He  just  shook  hands  with  me  and  said,  "How 
d'  ye  do,  Gordon?"  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Colbert  seemed  ever 
so  much  more  pleased  to  see  me,  and  when  we  went  on 
the  upper  deck,  the  old  gentleman  took  me  into  the 
captain's  room,  the  door  of  which  stood  open.  The 


8  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

captain  was  not  there,  but  I  don't  believe  Mr.  Colbert 
would  have  cared  if  he  had  been.  All  he  seemed  to 
want  was  to  find  a  place  where  we  could  get  away 
from  the  people  on  deck.  When  he  had  partly  closed 
the  door,  he  said: 

"Have  you  got  your  ticket?" 

"Oh,  yes!"  I  answered;  "I  bought  that  ten  days 
ago.  I  wrote  for  it" 

"That 's  right,"  said  he,  "and  here  is  Sammy's  ticket. 
I  was  glad  to  see  that  you  had  spoken  about  the  other 
berth  in  your  state-room  being  reserved  for  Sammy." 

I  thought  he  need  n't  have  asked  me  if  I  had  my 
ticket  when  he  knew  that  I  had  bought  it.  But  per 
haps  he  thought  I  had  lost  it  by  this  time.  He  was  a 
very  particular  little  man. 

"Where  do  you  keep  your  money?"  he  asked  me, 
and  I  told  him  that  the  greater  part  of  it — all  but  some 
pocket-money — was  stowed  away  in  an  inside  pocket 
of  my  vest. 

"Very  good,"  said  he  ;  "that 's  better  than  a  pocket- 
book  or  belt:  but  you  must  pin  it  in.  Now,  here  is 
Sammy's  money — for  his  travelling  expenses  and  his 
other  necessities;  I  have  calculated  that  that  will  be 
enough  for  a  four  months'  trip,  and  you  wont  want  to 
stay  longer  than  that.  But  if  this  runs  out,  you  can 
write  to  me.  If  you  were  going  to  Europe,  now,  I  'd 
get  you  a  letter  of  credit,  but  for  your  sort  of  travelling, 
you  'd  better  have  the  money  with  you.  I  did  think 
of  giving  you  a  draft  on  Savannah,  but  you  'd  have  to 
draw  the  money  there — and  you  might  as  well  have 
it  here.  You  're  big  enough  to  know  how  to  take 


WE    MAKE   A    START.  9 

care  of  it."    And  with  this  he  handed  me  a  lot  of  bank 
notes. 

"And  now,  what  about  your  salary?  Would  you 
like  to  have  it  now,  or  wait  until  you  come  back?" 

This  question  made  my  heart  jump,  for  I  had  thought 
a  great  deal  about  how  I  was  to  draw  that  salary.  So, 
quick  enough,  I  said  that  I  'd  like  to  have  it  now. 

"I  expected  so,"  said  he,  "and  here's  the  amount 
for  four  months.  I  brought  a  receipt.  You  can  sign 
it  with  a  lead-pencil.  That  will  do.  Now  put  all  this 
money  in  your  inside  pockets.  Some  in  your  vest, 
and  some  in  your  under-coat.  Don't  bundle  it  up  too 
much,  and  be  sure  and  pin  it  in.  Pin  it  from  the  inside, 
right  through  the  money,  if  you  can.  Put  your  clothes 
under  your  pillow  at  night.  Good-bye !  I  expect 
they  '11  be  sounding  the  gong  directly,  for  us  to  get 
ashore." 

And  so  he  hurried  out.  I  followed  him,  very  much 
surprised.  He  had  spoken  only  of  money,  and  had 
said  nothing  about  his  son, —  what  he  wished  me  to  do 
for  him,  what  plans  of  travel  or  instruction  he  had 
decided  upon,  or  anything,  indeed,  about  the  duties 
for  which  I  was  to  be  paid.  I  had  expected  that  he 
would  come  down  early  to  the  steamer  and  have  a  long 
talk  about  these  matters.  There  was  no  time  to  ask  him 
any  questions  now,  for  he  was  with  his  wife,  trying  to  get 
her  to  hurry  ashore.  He  was  dreadfully  afraid  that  they 
would  stay  on  board  too  long,  and  be  carried  to  sea. 

Mrs.   Colbert,  however,  did  not  leave    me    in    any 
doubt  as  to  what  she  wanted  me  to  do.     She  rushed 
up  to  me,  and  seized  me  by  both  hands. 
1* 


10 


A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 


"Now  you  will  take  the  greatest  and  the  best  care 
of  my  boy,  wont  you?  You  '11  cherish  him  as  the 
apple  of  your  eye?  You  '11  keep  him  out  of  every  kind 


'th 


'SHE  SEIZED  ME  BY  BOTH  HANDS. 


of  danger?     Now  do  take  good  care  of  him, — espe 
cially  in  storms." 

I  tried  to  assure  Rectus's  mother— she  was  a  wide, 
good-humored  lady— that  I  would  do  as  much  of  all 


WE    MAKE   A    START.  11 

this  as  I  could,  and  what  I  said  seemed  to  satisfy 
her,  for  she  wiped  her  eyes  in  a  very  comfortable 
sort  of  a  way. 

Mr.  Colbert  got  his  wife  ashore  as  soon  as  he  could, 
and  Rectus  and  I  stood  on  the  upper  deck  and  watched 
them  get  into  the  carriage  and  drive  away.  Rectus 
did  not  look  as  happy  as  I  thought  a  fellow  ought  to 
look,  when  starting  out  on  such  a  jolly  trip  as  we 
expected  this  to  be. 

I  proposed  that  we  should  go  and  look  at  our  state 
room,  which  was  number  twenty-two,  and  so  we  went 
below.  The  state-room  had  n't  much  state  about  it. 
It  was  very  small,  with  two  shelves  for  us  to  sleep  on. 
I  let  Rectus  choose  his  shelf,  and  he  took  the  lower  one. 
This  suited  me  very  well,  for  I  'd  much  rather  climb 
over  a  boy  than  have  one  climb  over  me. 

There  was  n't  anything  else  in  the  room  to  divide, 
and  we  were  just  about  to  come  out  and  call  the  thing 
settled,  when  I  heard  a  shout  at  the  door.  I  turned 
around,  and  there  stood  Harry  Alden,  and  Scott,  and 
Tom  Myers  and  his  brother  George ! 

I  tell  you,  I  was  glad  to  see  them.  In  spite  of  all 
my  reasoning  that  it  made  no  difference  about  anybody 
coming  to  see  me  off,  it  did  make  a  good  deal  of 
difference.  It  was  a  lonely  sort  of  business  starting 
off  in  that  way — especially  after  seeing  Rectus's  father 
and  mother  come  down  to  the  boat  with  him. 

"We  did  n't  think  of  this  until  this  morning,"  cried 
Scott.  "And  then  we  voted  it  was  too  mean  to  let 
you  go  off  without  anybody  to  see  you  safely  on 
board  " 


12  A    JOLLY   FELLOWSHIP. 

"Oh,  yes!"  said  I. 

"And  so  our  class  appointed  a  committee,"  Scott 
went  on,  "to  come  down  and  attend  to  you,  and  we  're 
the  committee.  It  ought  to  have  been  fellows  that 
had  gone  through  the  school,  but  there  were  none  of 
them  there." 

"Irish!"  said  Harry. 

"So  we  came,"  said  Scott.  "We  raised  all  the 
spare  cash  there  was  in  the  class,  and  there  was  only 
enough  to  send  four  of  us.  We  drew  lots.  If  it  had  n't 
been  you,  I  don't  believe  the  professor  would  have 
let  us  off.  Any  way,  we  missed  the  noon  train,  and 
were  afraid,  all  the  way  here,  that  we  'd  be  too  late.  Do 
you  two  fellows  have  to  sleep  in  those  'cubby-holes'?" 

"Certainly,"  said  I;   "they  're  big  enough." 

"Don't  believe  it,"  said  Harry  Alden  ;  "they  're  too 
short." 

"That  's  so,"  said  Scott,  who  was  rather  tall  for  his 
age.  "Let  's  try  'em." 

This  was  agreed  to  on  the  spot,  and  all  four  of  the 
boys  took  off  their  boots  and  got  into  the  berths,  while 
Rectus  and  I  sat  down  on  the  little  bench  at  the  side 
of  the  room  and  laughed  at  them.  Tom  Myers  and 
his  brother  George  both  climbed  into  the  top  berth  at 
once,  and  as  they  found  it  was  a  pretty  tight  squeeze, 
they  both  tried  to  get  out  at  once,  and  down  they 
came  on  Scott,  who  was  just  turning  out  of  the  lower 
berth, —  which  was  too  long  for  him,  in  spite  of  all  his 
talk, —  and  then  there  was  a  much  bigger  tussle,  all 
around,  than  any  six  boys  could  make  with  comfort 
in  a  little  room  like  that. 


WE    MAKE    A    START.  13 

I  hustled  Tom  Myers  and  his  brother  George  out 
into  the  dining-room,  and  the  other  fellows  followed. 

"  Is  this  where  you  eat  ?  "  asked  Scott,  looking  up 
and  down  at  the  long  tables,  with  the  swinging  shelves 
above  them. 

"  No,  this  is  n't  where  they  eat,"  said  Harry  ;  "  this 
is  where  they  come  to  look  at  victuals,  and  get  sick  at 
the  sight  of  them." 

"  Sick  !  "  said  I ;  "  not  much  of  it." 

But  the  committee  laughed,  and  did  n't  seem  to 
agree  with  me. 

"  You  '11  be  sick  ten  minutes  after  the  boat  starts," 
said  Scott 

"  We  wont  get  into  sea-sick  water  until  we  're  out 
of  the  lower  bay,"  I  said.  "  And  this  is  n't  a  boat 
— it  's  a  ship.  You  fellows  know  lots  !  " 

Tom  Myers  and  his  brother  George  were  trying 
to  find  out  why  the  tumblers  and  glasses  were  all  stuck 
into  holes  in  the  shelves  over  the  tables,  when  Harry 
Alden  sung  out: 

"  What  's  that  swishing  ?  " 

"That  what?"  said  I. 

"There  it  goes  again  !"  Harry  cried.  "  Splashing!  " 

"  It  's  the  wheels  !  "  exclaimed  Rectus. 

"  That  's  so  !  "  cried  Scott.  "  The  old  thing  's  off! 
Rush  up  !  Here  !  The  hind-stairs  !  Quick  !  " 

And  upstairs  to  the  deck  we  all  went,  one  on  top 
of  another.  The  wheels  were  going  around,  and  the 
steamer  was  off ! 

Already  she  was  quite  a  distance  from  the  wharf.  I 
suppose  the  tide  carried  her  out,  as  soon  as  the  lines 


14  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

were  cast  off,  for  I  'm  sure  the  wheels  had  not  been  in 
motion  half  a  minute  before  we  heard  them.  But  all 
that  made  no  difference.  We  were  off. 

I  never  saw  four  such  blank  faces  as  the  committee 
wore,  when  they  saw  the  wide  space  of  water  between 
them  and  the  wharf. 

"Stop  her!  "  cried  Scott  to  me,  as  if  I  could  do  any 
thing,  and  then  he  made  a  dive  toward  a  party  of  men 
on  the  deck. 

"  They  're  passengers  !  "  I  cried.  "  We  must  find 
the  captain." 

"  No,  no  !  "  said  Harry.  "  Go  for  the  steersman. 
Tell  him  to  steer  back  !  We  must  n't  be  carried  off!  " 

Tom  Myers  and  his  brother  George  had  already 
started  for  the  pilot-house,  when  Rectus  shouted  to 
them  that  he  'd  run  down  to  the  engineer  and  tell  him 
to  stop  the  engine.  So  they  stopped,  and  Rectus  was 
just  going  below  when  Scott  called  to  him  to  hold  up. 

"  You  need  n't  be  scared  !  "  he  said.  (He  had  been 
just  as  much  scared  as  anybody.)  "That  man  over 
there  says  it  will  be  all  right.  We  can  go  back  with 
the  pilot.  People  often  do  that.  It  will  be  all  the 
more  fun.  Don't  bother  the  engineer.  There  's 
nothing  I  'd  like  better  than  a  trip  back  with  a  pilot !  " 

"  That  's  so,"  said  Harry;  "  I  never  thought  of  the 
pilot." 

"  But  are  you  sure  he  '11  take  you  back  ? "  asked 
Rectus,  while  Tom  Myers  and  his  brother  George 
looked  very  pale  and  anxious. 

"Take  us?  Of  course  he  will,"  said  Scott.  "That's 
one  of  the  things  a  pilot  's  for, —  to  take  back  passen- 


WE   MAKE   A    START.  15 

gers, —  I  mean  people  who  are  only  going  part  way. 
Do  you  suppose  the  captain  will  want  to  take  us  all 
the  way  to  Savannah  for  nothing  ?  " 

Rectus  did  n't  suppose  that,  and  neither  did  any  of 
the  rest  of  us,  but  I  thought  we  ought  to  look  up  the 
captain  and  tell  him. 

"  But,  you  see,"  said  Scott,  "  it  's  just  possible  he 
might  put  back." 

"  Well,  don't  you  want  to  go  back  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Yes,  of  course,  but  I  would  like  a  sail  back  in  a 
pilot-boat,"  said  Scott,  and  Harry  Alden  agreed  with 
him.  Tom  Myers  and  his  brother  George  wanted  to 
go  back  right  away. 

We  talked  the  matter  over  a  good  deal.  I  did  n't 
wish  to  appear  as  if  I  wanted  to  get  rid  of  the  fellows 
who  had  been  kind  enough  to  come  all  the  way  from 
Willisville  to  see  me  off,  but  I  could  n't  help  thinking 
that  it  did  n't  look  exactly  fair  and  straightforward  not 
to  say  that  these  boys  were  not  passengers  until  the 
pilot  was  ready  to  go  back.  I  determined  to  go  and 
see  about  the  matter,  but  I  would  wait  a  little  while. 

It  was  cool  on  deck,  especially  now  that  the  vessel 
was  moving  along,  but  we  all  buttoned  up  our  coats 
and  walked  up  and  down.  The  sun  shone  brightly, 
and  the  scene  was  so  busy  and  lively  with  the  tug 
boats  puffing  about,  and  the  vessels  at  anchor,  and  the 
ferry-boats,  and  a  whole  bay-full  of  sights  curious 
to  us  country  boys,  that  we  all  enjoyed  ourselves  very 
much — except  Tom  Myers  and  his  brother  George. 
They  did  n't  look  happy. 


CHAPTER    II. 

GOING   BACK   WITH   THE   PILOT. 

WE  were  pretty  near  the  Narrows  when  I  thought 
it  was  about  time  to  let  the  captain,  or  one  of 
the  officers,  know  that  there  were  some  people  on 
board  who  did  n't  intend  to  take  the  whole  trip.  I  had 
read  in  the  newspapers  that  committees  and  friends 
who  went  part  way  with  distinguished  people  generally 
left  them  in  the  lower  bay. 

But  I  was  saved  the  trouble  of  looking  for  an  officer, 
for  one  of  them,  the  purser,  came  along,  collecting 
tickets.  I  did  n't  give  him  a  chance  to  ask  Scott 
or  any  of  the  other  fellows  for  something  that  they 
did  n't  have,  but  went  right  up  to  him  and  told  him 
how  the  matter  stood. 

"  I  must  see  the  captain  about  this,"  he  said,  and 
off  he  went. 

"  He  did  n't  look  very  friendly,"  said  Scott,  and  I 
had  to  admit  that  he  did  n't. 

In  a  few  moments  the  captain  came  walking  rapidly 
up  to  us.  He  was  a  tall  man,  dressed  in  blue,  with 

16 


GOING    BACK    WITH    THE    PILOT. 


1.7 


side-whiskers,  and  an  oil-cloth  cap.     The  purser  came 
up  behind  him. 

"What  's  all  this?"  said  the  captain.  "Are  you 
not  passengers,  you  boys?"  He  did  not  look  very 
friendly,  either,  as  he  asked  this  question. 


THE   VESSEL    IS    OFF. 


"Two  of  us  are,"  I  said,  "  but  four  of  us  were  car 
ried  off  accidentally." 


18  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  Accident  ?  Fiddlesticks  !  "  exclaimed  the  captain. 
"  Did  n't  you  know  the  vessel  was  starting  ?  Had  n't 
you  time  to  get  off?  Didn't  you  hear  the  gong? 
Everybody  else  heard  it  Are  you  all  deaf?" 

This  was  a  good  deal  to  answer  at  once,  so  I  just 
said  that  I  did  n't  remember  hearing  any  gong.  Tom 
Myers  and  his  brother  George,  however,  spoke  up,  and 
said  that  they  had  heard  a  gong,  they  thought,  but 
did  not  know  what  it  was  for. 

"  Why  did  n't  you  ask,  then?"  said  the  captain,  who 
was  getting  worse  in  his  humor.  I  had  a  good  mind 
to  tell  him  that  it  would  take  up  a  good  deal  of  the 
crew's  time  if  Tom  Myers  and  his  brother  George 
asked  about  everything  they  did  n't  understand  on 
board  this  ship,  but  I  thought  I  had  better  not.  I 
have  no  doubt  the  gong  sounded  when  we  were  having 
our  row  in  the  state-room,  and  were  not  likely  to  pay 
attention  to  it  even  if  we  did  hear  it. 

"  And  why,  in  the  name  of  common  sense,"  the 
captain  went  on,  "didn't  you  come  and  report,  the 
instant  you  found  the  vessel  had  started  ?  Did  you 
think  we  were  fast  to  the  pier  all  this  time  ?  " 

Then  Scott  thought  he  might  as  well  come  out 
square  with  the  truth  ;  and  he  told  how  they  made  up 
their  minds,  after  they  found  that  the  steamer  had 
really  started,  with  them  on  board,  not  to  make  any 
fuss  about  it,  nor  give  anybody  any  trouble  to  stop  the 
ship,  or  to  put  back,  but  just  to  stay  quietly  on  board, 
and  go  back  with  the  pilot.  They  thought  that  would 
be  most  convenient,  all  around. 

"  Go  back  with  the  pilot ! "  the  captain  cried.    "  Why, 


GOING    BACK    WITH    THE    PILOT.  19 

you  young  idiot,  there  is  no  pilot !  Coastwise  steamers 
don't  carry  pilots.  I  am  my  own  pilot.  There  is  no 
pilot  going  back  !  " 

You  ought  to  have  seen  Scott's  face  ! 


i     1 

SCOTT    AND    THE    CAPTAIN. 


•\ 


Nobody  said  anything.  We  all  just  stood  and 
looked  at  the  captain.  Tears  began  to  come  into  the 
eyes  of  Tom  Myers  and  his  brother  George. 

"  What  are  they  to  do  ?  "  asked  the  purser  of  the 
captain.  "  Buy  tickets  for  Savannah  ?  " 


20  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"We  can't  do  that,"  said  Scott,  quickly.  "We 
have  n't  any  money." 

"  I  don't  know  what  they  're  to  do,"  replied  the 
captain.  "  I  'd  like  to  chuck  'em  overboard."  And 
with  this  agreeable  little  speech  he  walked  away. 

The  purser  now  took  the  two  tickets  for  Rectus  and 
myself,  and  saying :  "  We  '11  see  what  's  to  be  done 
with  the  rest  of  you  fellows,"  he  walked  away,  too. 

Then  we  all  looked  at  one  another.  We  were  a 
pretty  pale  lot,  and  I  believe  that  Rectus  and  I,  who 
were  all  right,  felt  almost  as  badly  as  the  four  other 
boys,  who  were  all  wrong. 

"  We  can't  go  to  Savannah  !  "  said  Harry  Alden. 
"What  right  have  they  to  take  us  to  Savannah?" 

"Well,  then,  you  'd  better  get  out  and  go  home," 
said  Scott.  "  I  don't  so  much  mind  their  taking  us  to 
Savannah,  for  they  can't  make  us  pay  if  we  have  n't 
any  money.  But  how  are  we  going  to  get  back  ? 
That  's  the  question.  And  what  '11  the  professor 
think  ?  He  '11  write  home  that  we  've  run  away.  And 
what '11  we  do  in  Savannah  without  any  money?" 

"  You  'd  better  have  thought  of  some  of  these  things 
before  you  got  us  into  waiting  to  go  back  with  the 
pilot,"  said  Harry. 

As  for  Tom  Myers  and  his  brother  George,  they 
just  sat  down  and  put  their  arms  on  the  railing,  and 
clapped  their  faces  down  on  their  arms.  They  cried 
all  over  their  coat-sleeves,  but  kept  as  quiet  as  they 
could  about  it.  Whenever  these  two  boys  had  to  cry 
before  any  of  the  rest  of  the  school- fellows,  they  had 
learned  to  keep  very  quiet  about  it. 


GOING    BACK    WITH    THE    PILOT.  21 

While  the  rest  of  us  were  talking  away,  and  Scott 
and  Harry  finding  fault  with  each  other,  the 
captain  came  back.  He  looked  in  a  little  better 
humor. 

"  The  only  thing  that  can  be  done  with  you  boys," 
he  said,  "  is  to  put  you  on  some  tug  or  small  craft 
that 's  going  back  to  New  York.  If  we  meet  one, 
I  '11  lie  to  and  let  you  off.  But  it  will  put  me  to  a 
great  deal  of  trouble,  and  we  may  meet  with  nothing 
that  will  take  you  aboard.  You  have  acted  very 
badly.  If  you  had  come  right  to  me,  or  to  any  of  the 
officers,  the  moment  you  found  we  had  started,  I  could 
have  easily  put  you  on  shore.  There  are  lots  of  small 
boats  about  the  piers  that  would  have  come  out  after 
you,  or  I  might  even  have  put  back.  But  I  can  do 
nothing  now  but  look  out  for  some  craft  bound  for 
New  York  that  will  take  you  aboard.  If  we  don't 
meet  one,  you  '11  have  to  go  on  to  Savannah." 

This  made  us  feel  a  little  better.  We  were  now  in 
the  lower  bay,  and  there  would  certainly  be  some  sort 
of  a  vessel  that  would  stop  for  the  boys.  We  all  went 
to  the  forward  deck  and  looked  out.  It  was  pretty 
cold  there,  and  we  soon  began  to  shiver  in  the  wind, 
but  still  we  stuck  it  out. 

There  were  a  good  many  vessels,  but  most  of  them 
were  big  ones.  We  could  hardly  have  the  impudence 
to  ask  a  great  three-masted  ship,  under  full  sail,  to 
stop  and  give  us  a  lift  to  New  York.  At  any  rate,  we 
had  nothing  to  do  with  the  asking.  The  captain  would 
attend  to  that.  But  every  time  we  came  near  a  vessel 
going  the  other  way,  we  looked  about  to  see  if  we 


j82  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

could  see  anything  of  an  officer  with  a  trumpet,  stand 
ing  all  ready  to  sing  out,  "  Sail  ho  !  " 

But,  after  a  while,  we  felt  so  cold  that  we  could  n't 
stand  it  any  longer,  and  we  went  below.  We  might 
have  gone  and  stood  by  the  smoke-stack  and  warmed 
ourselves,  but  we  did  n't  know  enough  about  ships  to 
think  of  this. 

We  had  n't  been  standing  around  the  stove  in  the 
dining-room  more  than  ten  minutes,  before  the  purser 
came  hurrying  toward  us. 

"  Come,  now,"  he  said,  "  tumble  forward  !  The 
captain's  hailed  a  pilot-boat." 

"  Hurrah  !  "  said  Scott ;  "  we  're  going  back  in  a 
pilot-boat,  after  all !  "  and  we  all  ran  after  the  purser 
to  the  lower  forward  deck.  Our  engines  had  stopped, 
and  not  far  from  us  was  a  rough-looking  little  schooner 
with  a  big  "  17  "  painted  in  black  on  her  mainsail. 
She  was  "  putting  about,"  the  purser  said,  and  her 
sails  were  flapping  in  the  wind. 

There  was  a  great  change  in  the  countenances  of 
Tom  Myers  and  his  brother  George.  They  looked 
like  a  couple  of  new  boys. 

"Isn't  this  capital?"  said  Scott.  "Everything's 
turned  out  all  right." 

But  all  of  a  sudden  he  changed  his  tune. 

"  Look  here  !  "  said  he  to  me,  pulling  me  on  one 
side ;  "  wont  that  pilot  want  to  be  paid  something  ? 
He  wont  stop  his  vessel  and  take  us  back  for 
nothing,  will  he  ?  " 

I  could  n't  say  anything  about  this,  but  I  asked  the 
purser,  who  still  stood  by  us. 


GOING    BACK    WITH    THE    PILOT.  23 

"  I  don't  suppose  he  '11  make  any  regular  charge," 
said  he;  "but  he  '11  expect  you  to  give  him  some 
thing, — whatever  you  please." 

"  But  we  have  n't  anything,"  said  Scott  to  me. 
"  We  have  our  return  tickets  to  Willisville,  and  that 's 
about  all." 

"  Perhaps  we  can't  go  back,  after  all,"  said  Harry, 
glumly,  while  Tom  Myers  and  his  brother  George 
began  to  drop  their  lower  jaws  again. 

I  did  not  believe  that  the  pilot-boat  people  would 
ask  to  see  the  boys'  money  before  they  took  them  on 
board  ;  but  I  could  n't  help  feeling  that  it  would  be 
pretty  hard  for  them  to  go  ashore  at  the  city  and  give 
nothing  for  their  passages  but  promises,  and  so  I  called 
Rectus  on  one  side,  and  proposed  to  lend  the  fellows 
some  money.  He  agreed,  and  I  unpinned  a  bank 
note  and  gave  it  to  Scott.  He  was  mightily  tickled 
to  get  it,  and  vowed  he  'd  send  it  back  to  me  in  the 
first  letter  he  wrote  (and  he  did  it,  too). 

The  pilot-schooner  did  not  come  very  near  us,  but 
she  lowered  a  boat  with  two  men  in  it,  and  they  rowed 
up  to  the  steamer.  Some  of  our  sailors  let  down  a 
pair  of  stairs,  and  one  of  the  men  in  the  boat  came  up 
to  see  what  was  wanted.  The  purser  was  telling  him, 
when  the  captain,  who  was  standing  on  the  upper 
deck,  by  the  pilot-house,  sung  out : 

"  Hurry  up  there,  now,  and  don't  keep  this  vessel 
here  any  longer.  Get  'em  out  as  quick  as  you  can, 
Mr.  Brown." 

The  boys  did  n't  stop  to  have  this  kind  invitation 
repeated,  and  Scott  scuffled  down  the  stairs  into  the 


24  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

boat  as  fast  as  he  could,  followed  closely  by  Harry 
Alden.  Tom  Myers  and  his  brother  George  stopped 
long  enough  to  bid  each  of  us  good-bye,  and  shake 
hands  with  us,  and  then  they  went  down  the  stairs. 
They  had  to  climb  over  the  railing  to  the  platform  in 
front  of  the  wheel-house  to  get  to  the  stairs,  and  as  the 
steamer  rolled  a  little,  and  the  stairs  shook,  they  went 
down  very  slowly,  backward,  and  when  they  got  to 
the  bottom  were  afraid  to  step  into  the  boat,  which 
looked  pretty  unsteady  as  it  wobbled  about  under 
them. 

"  Come,  there  !     Be  lively  !  "  shouted  the  captain. 

Just  then,  Rectus  made  a  step  forward.  He  had 
been  looking  very  anxiously  at  the  boys  as  they  got 
into  the  boat,  but  he  had  n't  said  anything. 

"Where  are  you  going?"  said  I  ;  for,  as  quick  as  a 
flash,  the  thought  came  into  my  mind  that  Rectus's 
heart  had  failed  him,  and  that  he  would  like  to  back 
out. 

"  I  think  I  '11  go  back  with  the  boys,"  he  said,  mak 
ing  another  step  toward  the  top  of  the  stairs,  down 
which  the  man  from  the  pilot-boat  was  hurrying. 

"Just  you  try  it!"  said  I,  and  I  put  out  my  arm  in 
front  of  him.  « 

He  did  n't  try  it,  and  I  'm  glad  he  did  n't,  for  I 
should  have  been  sorry  enough  to  have  had  the  boys 
go  back  and  say  that  when  they  last  saw  Rectus 
and  I  we  were  having  a  big  fight  on  the  deck  of  the 
steamer. 

The  vessel  now  started  off,  and  Rectus  and  I  went 
to  the  upper  deck  and  stood  and  watched  the  little 


GOING    BACK    WITH    THE    PILOT.  25 

boat,  as  it  slowly  approached  the  schooner.  We  were 
rapidly  leaving  them,  but  we  saw  the  boys  climb  on 
board,  and  one  of  them — it  must  have  been  Scott — 
waved  his  handkerchief  to  us.  I  waved  mine  in 
return,  but  Rectus  kept  his  in  his  pocket.  I  don't 
think  he  felt  in  a  wavy  mood. 

While  we  were  standing  looking  at  the  distant  pilot- 
boat,  I  began  to  consider  a  few  matters ;  and  the 
principal  thing  was  this :  How  were  Rectus  and  I  to 
stand  toward  each  other?  Should  we  travel  like  a 
couple  of  school-friends,  or  should  I  make  him  under 
stand  that  he  was  under  my  charge  and  control,  and 
must  behave  himself  accordingly?  I  had  no  idea  what 
he  thought  of  the  matter,  and  by  the  way  he  addressed 
me  when  we  met,  I  supposed  that  it  was  possible  that 
he  looked  upon  me  very  much  as  he  used  to  when  we 
went  to  school  together.  If  he  had  said  Mr.  Gordon, 
it  would  have  been  more  appropriate,  I  thought,  and 
would  have  encouraged  me,  too,  in  taking  position  as 
his  supervisor.  As  far  as  my  own  feelings  were  con 
cerned,  I  think  I  would  have  preferred  to  travel  about 
on  a  level  with  Rectus,  and  to  have  a  good  time  with 
him,  as  two  old  school- fellows  might  easily  have,  even 
if  one  did  happen  to  be  two  years  older  than  the 
other.  But  that  would  not  be  earning  my  salary. 
After  a  good  deal  of  thought,  I  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  I  would  let  things  go  on  as  they  would,  for  a 
while,  giving  Rectus  a  good  deal  of  rope;  but  the 
moment  he  began  to  show  signs  of  insubordination,  I 
would  march  right  on  him,  and  quell  him  with  an  iron 
hand.  After  that,  all  would  be  plain  sailing,  and  we 


26  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

could  have  as  much  fun  as  we  pleased,  for  Rectus 
would  know  exactly  how  far  he  could  go, 

There  were  but  few  passengers  on  deck,  for  it  was 
quite  cold,  and  it  now  began  to  grow  dark,  and  we 
went  below.  Pretty  soon  the  dinner-bell  rang,  and  I 
was  glad  to  hear  it,  for  I  had  the  appetite  of  a  horse. 
There  was  a  first-rate  dinner,  ever  so  many  different 
kinds  of  dishes,  all  up  and  down  the  table,  which  had 
ridges  running  lengthwise,  under  the  table-cloth,  to 
keep  the  plates  from  sliding  off,  if  a  storm  should 
come  up.  Before  we  were  done  dinner  the  shelves 
above  the  table  began  to  swing  a  good  deal, — or 
rather  the  vessel  rolled  and  the  shelves  kept  their 
places, —  so  I  knew  we  must  be  pretty  well  out  to  sea, 
but  I  had  not  expected  it  would  be  so  rough,  for  the 
day  had  been  fine  and  clear.  When  we  left  the  table, 
it  was  about  as  much  as  we  could  do  to  keep  our  feet, 
and  in  less  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour  I  began  to  feel 
dreadfully.  I  stuck  it  out  as  long  as  I  could,  and  then 
I  went  to  bed.  The  old  ship  rolled,  and  she  pitched, 
and  she  heaved,  and  she  butted,  right  and  left,  against 
the  waves,  and  made  herself  just  as  uncomfortable  for 
human  beings  as  she  could,  but,  for  all  that,  I  went  to 
sleep  after  a  while. 

I  don't  know  how  long  I  slept,  but  when  I  woke  up, 
there  was  Rectus,  sitting  on  a  little  bench  by  the 
state-room  wall,  with  his  feet  braced  against  the  berth. 
He  was  hard  at  work  sucking  a  lemon.  I  turned  over 
and  looked  down  at  him.  He  did  n't  look  a  bit  sick. 
I  hated  to  see  him  eating  lemons. 

"  Don't  you  feel  badly,  Rectus  ?  "  said  I. 


GOING    BACK    WITH    THE    PILOT.  27 

"  Oh  no ! "  said  he  ;  "I  'm  all  right  You  ought  to 
suck  a  lemon.  Have  one  ?  " 

I  declined  his  offer.  The  idea  of  eating  or  drinking 
anything  was  intensely  disagreeable  to  me.  I  wished 
that  Rectus  would  put  down  that  lemon.  He  did 


RECTUS    AND    THE    LEMONS. 


throw  it  away  after  a  while,  but  he  immediately  began 
to  cut  another  one. 

"  Rectus,"   said    I,    "  you  '11    make    yourself  sick. 
You  'd  better  go  to  bed." 


28  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  It  's  just  the  thing  to  stop  me  from  being  sick,'* 
said  he,  and  at  that  minute  the  vessel  gave  her  stern  a 
great  toss  over  sideways,  which  sent  Rectus  off  his 
seat,  head  foremost  into  the  wash-stand.  I  was  glad 
to  see  it.  I  would  have  been  glad  of  almost  anything 
that  stopped  that  lemon  business. 

But  it  did  n't  stop  it ;  and  he  only  picked  himself 
up,  and  sat  down  again,  his  lemon  at  his  mouth. 

"  Rectus  !  "  I  cried,  leaning  out  of  my  berth.  "  Put 
down  that  lemon  and  go  to  bed  !  " 

He  put  down  the  lemon  without  a  word,  and  went 
to  bed.  I  turned  over  with  a  sense  of  relief.  Rectus 
was  subordinate ! 


CHAPTER   III. 

RECTUS   OPENS   HIS   EYES. 

I  WAS  all  right  the  next  day,  and  we  staid  on  deck 
most  of  the  time,  standing  around  the  smoke 
stack  when  our  noses  got  a  little  blue  with  the  cold. 
There  were  not  many  other  people  on  deck.  I  was 
expecting  young  Rectus  to  have  his  turn  at  sea-sick 
ness,  but  he  disappointed  me.  He  spent  a  good  deal 
of  his  time  calculating  our  position  on  a  little  folding- 
map  he  had.  He  inquired  how  fast  we  were  going, 
and  then  he  worked  the  whole  thing  out,  from  Sandy 
Hook  to  Savannah,  marking  on  the  map  the  hours  at 
which  he  ought  to  be  at  such  and  such  a  place.  He 
tried  his  best  to  get  his  map  of  the  course  all  right, 
and  made  a  good  many  alterations,  so  that  we  were  off 
Cape  Charles  several  times  in  the  course  of  the  day. 
Rectus  had  never  been  very  good  at  calculations,  and 
I  was  glad  to  see  that  he  was  beginning  to  take  an 
interest  in  such  things. 

The  next  morning,  just  after  day-break,  we  were 


30  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

awakened  by  a  good  deal  of  tramping  about  on  deck, 
over  our  heads,  and  we  turned  out,  sharp,  to  see  what 
the  matter  was.  Rectus  wanted  me  to  wait,  after  we 
were  dressed,  until  he  could  get  out  his  map  and  cal 
culate  where  we  were,  but  I  could  n't  stop  for  such 
nonsense,  for  I  knew  that  his  kind  of  navigation  did  n't 
amount  to  much,  and  so  we  scrambled  up  on  deck. 
The  ship  was  pitching  and  tossing  worse  than  she  had 
done  yet.  We  had  been  practising  the  "  sea-leg " 
business  the  day  before,  and  managed  to  walk  along 
pretty  well ;  but  this  morning  our  sea-legs  did  n't  work 
at  all,  and  we  could  n't  take  a  step  without  hanging  on 
to  something.  When  we  got  on  deck,  we  found  that 
the  first  officer,  or  mate, —  his  name  was  Randall, — 
with  three  or  four  sailors,  was  throwing  the  lead  to  see 
how  deep  the  water  was.  We  hung  on  to  a  couple  of 
stays  and  watched  them.  It  was  a  rousing  big  lead,  a 
foot  long,  and  the  line  ran  out  over  a  pulley  at  the 
stern.  A  sailor  took  the  lead  a  good  way  forward 
before  he  threw  it,  so  as  to  give  it  a  chance  to  get  to 
the  bottom  before  the  steamer  passed  over  it  and 
began  to  tow  it.  When  they  pulled  it  in,  we  were 
surprised  to  see  that  it  took  three  men  to  do  it.  Then 
Mr.  Randall  scooped  out  a  piece  of  tallow  that  was  in 
a  hollow  in  the  bottom  of  the  lead,  and  took  it  to  show 
to  the  captain,  whose  room  was  on  deck.  I  knew  this 
was  one  way  they  had  of  finding  out  where  they  were, 
for  they  examined  the  sand  or  mud  on  the  tallow,  and 
so  knew  what  sort  of  a  bottom  they  were  going  over ; 
and  all  the  different  kinds  of  bottom  were  marked  out 
on  their  charts. 


RECTUS    OPENS    HIS   EYES.  31 

As  Mr.  Randall  passed  us,  Rectus  sung  out  to  him, 
and  asked  him  where  we  were  now. 

"  Off  Hatteras,"  said  he,  quite  shortly. 

I  did  n't  think  Rectus  should  have  bothered  Mr. 
Randall  with  questions  when  he  was  so  busy ;  but 
after  he  went  into  the  captain's  room,  the  men  did  not 
seem  to  have  much  to  do,  and  I  asked  one  of  them 
how  deep  it  was. 

"  About  seventeen  fathoms,"  said  he. 

"  Can  we  see  Cape  Hatteras  ? "  I  said,  trying  to 
get  a  good  look  landward  as  the  vessel  rolled  over 
that  way. 

"  No,"  said  the  man.  "  We  could  see  the  light  just 
before  day-break,  but  the  weather  's  gettin'  thick  now, 
and  we  're  keepin'  out." 

It  was  pretty  thick  to  the  west,  that  was  true.  All 
that  I  could  see  in  the  distance  was  a  very  mixed-up 
picture  of  wave-tops  and  mist  I  knew  that  Cape 
Hatteras  was  one  of  the  most  dangerous  points  on  the 
coast,  and  that  sailors  were  always  glad  when  they 
had  safely  rounded  it,  and  so  I  began  to  take  a  good 
deal  of  interest  in  what  was  going  on.  There  was  a 
pretty  strong  wind  from  the  south-east,  and  we  had 
no  sail  set  at  all.  Every  now  and  then  the  steamer 
would  get  herself  up  on  top  of  a  big  wave,  and  then 
drop  down,  sideways,  as  if  she  were  sliding  off  the 
top  of  a  house.  The  mate  and  the  captain  soon  came 
out  on  deck  together,  and  the  captain  went  forward 
to  the  pilot-house,  while  Mr.  Randall  came  over  to  his 
men,  and  they  got  ready  to  throw  the  lead  again.  It 
did  n't  seem  to  me  that  the  line  ran  out  as  far  as  it  did 


32 


A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 


the  last  time,  and  I  think  I  heard  Mr.  Randall  say, 
"  Fourteen."  At  any  rate,  a  man  was  sent  forward  to 
the  pilot-house,  and  directly  we  heard  the  rudder- 
chains  creaking,  and  the  big  iron  arms  of  the  rudder, 
which  were  on  deck,  moved  over  toward  the  landward 


"'HOLD  YOUR  TONGUE!'    ROARED  MR.   RANDALL." 


side  of  the  vessel,  and  I  knew  by  that  that  the  captain 
was  putting  her  head  out  to  sea.  Mr.  Randall  took 
out  the  tallow  from  the  lead  and  laid  it  in  an  empty 
bucket  that  was  lashed  to  the  deck.  He  seemed  to 
be  more  anxious  now  about  the  depth  of  water  than 


RECTUS    OPENS   HIS   EYES.  33 

about  the  kind  of  bottom  we  were  passing  over.  The 
lead  was  just  about  to  be  thrown  again,  when  Rectus, 
who  had  taken  the  tallow  out  of  the  bucket,  which 
stood  near  us,  and  had  examined  it  pretty  closely, 
started  off  to  speak  to  Mr.  Randall,  with  the  tallow  in 
his  hand. 

"  Look  here  !  "  said  Rectus,  holding  on  to  the  rail 
ing.  "  I  '11  tell  you  what  would  be  a  sight  better  than 
tallow  for  your  leads.  Just  you  get  some  fine,  white 
Castile-soap,  and " 

"  Confound  you ! "  roared  Mr.  Randall,  turning 
savagely  on  him.  "  Hold  your  tongue  !  For  three 
cents  I  'd  tie  you  to  this  line  and  drag  the  bottom 
with  you  !  " 

Rectus  made  no  answer.  He  did  n't  offer  him  the 
three  cents,  but  came  away  promptly,  and  put  the 
piece  of  tallow  back  in  the  bucket.  He  did  n't  get 
any  comfort  from  me. 

"  Have  n't  you  got  any  better  sense,"  I  said  to  him, 
"  than  to  go,  with  your  nonsense,  to  the  first  officer  at 
such  a  time  as  this  ?  I  never  saw  such  a  boy  !  " 

"  But  the  soap  is  better  than  the  tallow,"  said 
Rectus.  "  It 's  finer  and  whiter,  and  would  take  up 
the  sand  better." 

"  No,  it  would  n't,"  I  growled  at  him  ;  "  the  water 
would  wash  it  out  in  half  a  minute.  You  need  n't  be 
trying  to  tell  anybody  on  this  ship  what  they  ought 
to  do." 

"  But  supposing "  said  he. 

"  No,"  I  exclaimed,  in  a  way  that  made  him  jump, 
"  there  's  no  supposing  about  it.  If  you  know  their 
2* 


34  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

business  better  than  they  do,  why,  just  let  it  stand  that 
way.  It  wont  hurt  you." 

I  was  pretty  mad,  I  must  say,  for  I  did  n't  want  to 
see  a  fellow  like  Rectus  trying  to  run  the  ship.  But 
you  could  n't  stay  mad  with  Rectus  long.  He  did  n't 
mean  any  wrong,  and  he  gave  no  words  back,  and  so, 
as  you  might  expect,  we  were  all  right  again  by  break 
fast-time. 

The  next  morning  we  were  surprised  to  feel  how 
warm  it  was  on  deck.  We  did  n't  need  our  overcoats. 
The  sea  was  ever  so  much  smoother,  too.  There  were 
two  or  three  ladies  on  deck,  who  could  walk  pretty 
well. 

About  noon,  I  was  standing  on  the  upper  deck, 
when  I  saw  Rectus  coming  toward  me,  looking  very 
pale.  He  was  generally  a  dark  sort  of  a  boy,  and  it 
made  a  good  deal  of  difference  in  him  to  look  pale. 
I  was  sure  he  was  going  to  be  sick,  at  last, —  although 
it  was  rather  queer  for  him  to  knock  under  when  the 
voyage  was  pretty  nearly  over, — and  I  began  to 
laugh,  when  he  said  to  me,  in  a  nervous  sort  of  way : 

"  I  tell  you  what  it  is,  I  believe  that  we  Ve  gone 
past  the  mouth  of  the  Savannah  River.  According 
to  my  calculations,"  said  he,  pointing  to  a  spot  on  his 
map,  which  he  held  in  his  hand,  "  we  must  be  down 
about  here,  off  the  Georgia  coast." 

I  have  said  that  I  began  to  laugh,  and  now  I  kept 
on.  I  just  sat  down  and  roared,  so  that  the  people 
looked  at  me. 

"  You  need  n't  laugh,"  said  Rectus.  "  I  believe  it 's 
so." 


RECTUS    OPENS    HIS    EYES. 


35 


"  All  right,  my  boy,"  said  I ;  "but  we  wont  tell  the 
captain.  Just  let  's  wait  and  have  the  fun  of  seeing 
him  turn  around  and  go  back." 

Rectus  did  n't  say  anything  to  this,  but  walked  off 
with  his  map. 

ff, 


RECTUS    SHOWED    ME    THE    MAP." 


Now,  that  boy  was  no  fool.  I  believe  that  he 
was  beginning  to  feel  like  doing  something,  and, 
as  he  had  never  done  anything  before,  he  did  n't 
know  how. 


36  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

About  twelve  o'clock  we  reached  the  mouth  of  the 
Savannah  (without  turning  back),  and  sailed  twenty 
miles  up  the  river  to  the  city. 

We  were  the  first  two  persons  off  that  vessel,  and 
we  took  a  hack  to  the  hotel  that  the  purser  had 
recommended  to  us,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of  reach 
ing  it  about  ten  minutes  ahead  of  the  people  who 
came  in  the  omnibus ;  although  I  don't  know  that  that 
was  of  much  use  to  us,  as  the  clerk  gave  us  top 
rooms,  any  way. 

We  went  pretty  nearly  all  over  Savannah  that  after 
noon  and  the  next  day.  It  's  a  beautiful  city.  There 
is  a  little  public  square  at  nearly  every  corner,  and  one 
of  the  wide  streets  has  a  double  row  of  big  trees  run 
ning  right  down  the  middle  of  it,  with  grass  under 
them,  and,  what  seemed  stranger  yet,  the  trees  were 
all  in  leaf,  little  children  were  playing  on  the  grass,  and 
the  weather  was  warm  and  splendid.  The  gardens  in 
front  of  the  houses  were  full  of  roses  and  all  sorts  of 
flowers  in  blossom,  and  Rectus  wanted  to  buy  a  straw 
hat  and  get  his  linen  trousers  out  of  his  trunk. 

"  No,  sir,"  said  I  ;  "  I  'm  not  going  around  with  a 
fellow  wearing  a  straw  hat  and  linen  breeches  in  Janu 
ary.  You  don't  see  anybody  else  wearing  them." 

"  No,"  said  he  ;   "  but  it  's  warm  enough." 

"  You  may  think  so,"  I  answered ;  "  but  I  guess 
they  know  their  own  business  best.  This  is  their  cold 
est  season,  and  if  they  wore  straw  hats  and  linen 
clothes  now,  what  would  they  put  on  when  the  scorch 
ing  hot  weather  comes  ?  " 

Rectus  did  n't  know,  and  that  matter  was  dropped. 


RECTUS    OPENS    HIS    EYES.  37 

There  is  a  pretty  park  at  the  back  of  the  town,  and  we 
walked  about  it,  and  sat  under  the  trees,  and  looked  at 
the  flowers,  and  the  fountain  playing,  and  enjoyed  it 
ever  so  much.  If  it  had  been  summer,  and  we  had 
been  at  home,  we  should  n't  have  cared  so  much  for 
these  things ;  but  sitting  under  trees,  and  lounging 
about  over  the  green  grass,  while  our  folks  at  home 
were  up  to  their  eyes,  or  thereabouts,  in  snow  and  ice, 
delighted  both  of  us,  especially  Rectus.  I  never  heard 
him  talk  so  much. 

We  reached  Savannah  on  Tuesday,  and  were  to 
leave  in  the  steamer  for  St.  Augustine  Thursday  after 
noon.  Thursday  morning  we  went  out  to  the  cemetery 
of  Bonaventure,  one  of  the  loveliest  places  in  the  whole 
world,  where  there  are  long  avenues  of  live-oaks  that 
stretch  from  one  side  of  the  road  to  the  other,  like 
great  covered  arbors,  and  from  every  limb  of  every 
tree  hang  great  streamers  of  gray  moss,  four  and  five 
feet  long.  It  was  just  wonderful  to  look  at.  The 
whole  place  seemed  dripping  with  waving  fringe. 
Rectus  said  it  looked  to  him  as  if  this  was  a  grave 
yard  for  old  men,  and  that  every  old  fellow  had  had  to 
hang  his  beard  on  a  tree  before  he  went  down  into  his 
grave. 

This  was  a  curious  idea  for  Rectus  to  have,  and  the 
colored  man  who  was  driving  us — we  went  out  in 
style,  in  a  barouche,  but  I  would  n't  do  that  kind  of 
thing  again  without  making  a  bargain  beforehand  — 
turned  around  to  look  at  him  as  if  he  thought  he  was 
a  little  crazy.  Rectus  was  certainly  in  high  spirits. 
There  was  a  sort  of  change  coming  over  him.  His 


38  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

eyes  had  a  sparkle  in  them  that  I  never  saw  before.  No 
one  could  say  that  he  did  n't  take  interest  in  things  now. 
I  think  the  warm  weather  had  something  to  do  with  it. 

"  I  tell  you  what  it  is,  Gordon,"  said  he, — he  still 
called  me  Gordon,  and  I  did  n't  insist  on  "Mr.,"  because 
I  thought  that,  on  the  whole,  perhaps  it  would  n't  do, 
— "  I  'm  waking  up.  I  feel  as  if  I  had  been  asleep  all 
my  life,  and  was  just  beginning  to  open  my  eyes." 

A  graveyard  seemed  a  queer  place  to  start  out 
fresh  in  this  way,  but  it  was  n't  long  before  I  found 
that,  if  Rectus  had  n't  really  wakened  up,  he  could 
kick  pretty  hard  in  his  sleep. 

Nothing  much  happened  on  the  trip  down  to  St. 
Augustine,  for  we  travelled  nearly  all  the  way  by 
night.  Early  the  next  morning  we  were  lying  off  that 
old  half  Spanish  town,  wishing  the  tide  would  rise  so 
that  we  could  go  in.  There  is  a  bar  between  two  islands 
that  lie  in  front  of  the  town,  and  you  have  to  go  over 
that  to  get  into  the  harbor.  We  were  on  the  "Tigris," 
the  Bahama  steamer  that  touched  at  St.  Augustine  on 
her  way  to  Nassau,  and  she  could  n't  get  over  that  bar 
until  high-tide.  We  were  dreadfully  impatient,  for  we 
could  see  the  old  town,  with  its  trees,  all  green  and 
bright,  and  its  low,  wide  houses,  and  a  great  light 
house,  marked  like  a  barber's  pole  or  a  stick  of  old- 
fashioned  mint-candy,  and,  what  was  best  of  all,  a 
splendid  old  castle,  or  fort,  built  by  the  Spaniards 
three  hundred  years  ago  !  We  declared  we  would  go 
there  the  moment  we  set  foot  on  shore.  In  fact,  we 
soon  had  about  a  dozen  plans  for  seeing  the  town. 

If  we  had  been  the  pilots,  v/e  would  have  bumped 


RECTUS    OPENS    HIS    EYES.  39 

that  old  steamer  over  the  bar,  somehow  or  other,  long 
before  the  real  pilot  started  her  in ;  but  we  had  to 
wait.  When  we  did  go  in,  and  steamed  along  in  front 
of  the  old  fort,  we  could  see  that  it  was  gray  and 
crumbling,  and  moss- covered  in  places,  and  it  was 
just  like  an  oil-painting.  The  whole  town,  in  fact,  was 
like  an  oil-painting  to  us. 

The  moment  the  stairs  were  put  down,  we  scuffled 
ashore,  and  left  the  steamer  to  go  on  to  the  Bahamas 
whenever  she  felt  like  it.  We  gave  our  valises  and 
trunk-checks  to  a  negro  man  with  a  wagon,  and  told 
him  to  take  the  baggage  to  a  hotel  that  we  could  see 
from  the  wharf,  and  then  we  started  off  for  the  fort. 
But  on  my  way  along  the  wharf  I  made  up  my  mind 
that,  as  the  fort  had  been  there  for  three  hundred 
years,  it  would  probably  stand  a  while  longer,  and 
that  we  had  better  go  along  with  our  baggage,  and  see 
about  getting  a  place  to  live  in,  for  we  were  not  going 
to  be  in  any  hurry  to  leave  St.  Augustine. 

We  did  n't  go  to  any  hotel  at  all.  I  had  a  letter  of 
introduction  to  a  Mr.  Cholott,  and  on  our  way  up 
from  the  wharf,  I  heard  some  one  call  out  that  name 
to  a  gentleman.  So  I  remembered  my  letter,  and 
went  up  and  gave  it  to  him.  He  was  a  first-rate  man, 
and  when  we  told  him  where  we  were  going,  we  had 
quite  a  talk,  and  he  said  he  would  advise  us  to  go  to  a 
boarding-house.  It  would  be  cheaper,  and  if  we  were 
like  most  boys  that  he  knew,  we  'd  like  it  better.  He 
said  that  board  could  be  had  with  several  families  that 
he  knew,  and  that  some, of  the  Minorcans  took  board 
ers  in  the  winter. 


40  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

Of  course,  Rectus  wanted  to  know,  right  away,  what 
a  Minorcan  was.  I  did  n't  think  it  was  exactly  the 
place  to  ask  questions  which  probably  had  long 
answers,  but  Mr.  Cholott  did  n't  seem  to  be  in  a 
hurry,  and  he  just  started  off  and  told  us  about  the 
Minorcans.  A  chap  called  Turnbull,  more  than  a 
hundred  years  ago,  brought  over  to  Florida  a  lot  of 
the  natives  of  the  island  of  Minorca,  in  the  Mediterra 
nean,  and  began  a  colony.  But  he  was  a  mean  sort  of 
chap ;  he  did  n't  care  for  anything  but  making  money 
out  of  the  Minorcans,  and  it  was  n't  long  before  they 
found  it  out,  for  he  was  really  making  slaves  of  them. 
So  they  just  rose  up  and  rebelled,  and  left  old  Turnbull 
to  run  his  colony  by  himself.  Served  him  right,  too. 
They  started  off  on  their  own  accounts,  and  most  of 
them  came  to  this  town,  where  they  settled,  and  have 
had  a  good  time  ever  since.  There  are  a  great  many 
of  them  here  now,  descendants  of  the  original  Minor- 
cans,  and  they  keep  pretty  much  together  and  keep 
their  old  name,  too.  They  look  a  good  deal  like 
Spaniards,  Mr.  Cholott  said,  and  many  of  them  are 
very  excellent  people. 

Rectus  took  the  greatest  interest  in  these  Minor- 
cans,  but  we  did  n't  take  board  with  any  of  them.  We 
went  to  the  house  of  a  lady  who  was  a  friend  of  Mr. 
Cholott,  and  she  gave  us  a  splendid  room,  that  looked 
right  out  over  the  harbor.  We  could  see  the  islands, 
and  the  light-house,  and  the  bar  with  the  surf  outside, 
and  even  get  a  glimpse  of  the  ocean.  We  saw  the 
"Tigris"  going  out  over  the  bar.  The  captain  wanted 
to  get  out  on  the  same  tide  he  came  in  on,  and  he  did 


RECTUS    OPENS    HIS   EYES.  41 

not  lose  any  time.  As  soon  as  she  got  fairly  out  to  sea, 
we  hurried  down,  to  go  to  the  fort.  But  first,  Rectus 
said,  we  ought  to  go  and  buy  straw  hats.  There  were 
lots  of  men  with  straw  hats  in  St.  Augustine.  This 
was  true,  for  it  was  just  as  warm  here  as  we  have  it  in 
June,  and  we  started  off  to  look  for  a  straw-hat  store. 

We  found  that  we  were  in  one  of  the  queerest 
towns  in  the  world.  Rectus  said  it  was  all  back- 
streets,  and  it  looked  something  that  way.  The 
streets  were  very  narrow,  and  none  of  them  had  any 
pavement  but  sand  and  powdered  shell,  and  very  few 
had  any  sidewalks.  But  they  did  n't  seem  to  be 
needed.  Many  of  the  houses  had  balconies  on  the 
second  story,  which  reached  toward  each  other  from 
both  sides  of  the  street,  and  this  gave  the  town  a 
sociable  appearance.  There  were  lots  of  shops,  and 
most  of  them  sold  sea-beans.  There  were  other 
things,  like  alligators'  teeth,  and  shells,  and  curiosities, 
but  the  great  trade  of  the  town  seemed  to  be  in  sea- 
beans.*  Rectus  and  I  each  bought  one  for  our  watch- 
chains. 

I  think  we  tried  on  every  straw  hat  in  town,  and  we 
bought  a  couple  in  a  little  house,  where  two  or  three 
young  women  were  making  them.  Rectus  asked  me, 
in  a  low  voice,  if  I  did  n't  think  one  of  the  young 
women  was  a  Mohican.  I  hushed  him  up,  for  it  was 
none  of  his  business  if  she  was.  I  had  a  good  deal 

*  Sea-beans  are  seeds  of  a  West  Indian  tree.  They  are  of  different 
colors,  very  hard,  and  capable  of  being  handsomely  polished.  They  are 
called  "sea-beans"  because  great  numbers  of  them  drift  up  on  the 
Florida  and  adjacent  coasts. 


42  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

of  trouble  in  making  Rectus  say  "Minorcan."  When 
ever  we  had  met  a  dark-haired  person,  he  had  said  to 
me  :  "  Do  you  think  that  is  a  Mohican  ?  "  It  was  a 
part  of  his  old  school  disposition  to  get  things  wrong 
in  this  way.  But  he  never  got  angry  when  I  cor 
rected  him.  His  temper  was  perfect. 

I  bought  a  common-sized  hat,  but  Rectus  bought 
one  that  spread  out  far  and  wide.  It  made  him  look 
like  a  Japanese  umbrella.  We  stuffed  our  felt  hats 
into  our  pockets,  and  started  for  the  fort.  But  I 
looked  at  my  watch  and  found  it  was  supper-time.  I 
had  suspected  it  when  I  came  out  of  the  hat-shop. 
The  sea-trip  and  fine  air  here  had  given  us  tremen 
dous  appetites,  which  our  walk  had  sharpened. 

So  we  turned  back  at  once  and  hurried  home,  agree 
ing  to  begin  square  on  the  fort  the  next  day. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

TO  THE   RESCUE. 

THE  next  morning,  I  was  awakened  by  Rectus 
coming  into  the  room. 

"  Hello  !  "  said  I ;  "  where  have  you  been  ?  I 
did  n't  hear  you  get  up." 

"  I  called  you  once  or  twice,"  said  Rectus,  "  but 
you  were  sleeping  so  soundly  I  thought  I  'd  let  you 
alone.  I  knew  you  'd  lost  some  sleep  by  being  sick 
on  the  steamer." 

"That  was  only  the  first  night,"  I  exclaimed. 
"  I  Ve  made  up  that  long  ago.  But  what  got  you  up 
so  early  ?  " 

"  I  went  out  to  take  a  warm  salt-water  bath 
before  breakfast,"  answered  Rectus.  "  There  's  an 
eight-cornered  bath-house  right  out  here,  almost 
under  the  window,  where  you  can  have  your  sea-water 
warm  if  you  like  it." 

"  Do  they  pump  it  from  the  tropics  ?  "  I  asked,  as  I 
got  up  and  began  to  dress. 


43 


44  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"No;  they  heat  it  in  the  bath-house.  I  had  a  first^ 
rate  bath,  and  I  saw  a  Minorcan." 

r<  You  don't  say  so  !"  I  cried.  "What  was  he  like? 
Had  he  horns  ?  And  how  did  you  know  what  he 
was  ?  " 

"  I  asked  him,"  said  Rectus. 

"Asked  him  !  "  I  exclaimed.  "  You  don't  mean  to 
say  that  you  got  up  early  and  went  around  asking 
people  if  they  were  Mohicans  !  " 

"  Minorcans,  I  said." 

"  Well,  it 's  bad  enough,  even  if  you  got  the  name 
right.  Did  you  ask  the  man  plump  to  his  face  ?  " 

"  Yes.  But  he  first  asked  me  what  I  was.  He  was 
an  oldish  man,  and  I  met  him  just  as  I  was  coming 
out  of  the  bath-house.  He  had  a  basket  of  clams  on 
his  arm,  and  I  asked  him  where  he  caught  them. 
That  made  him  laugh,  and  he  said  he  dug  them  out  of 
the  sand  under  the  wharf.  Then  he  asked  me  if  my 
name  was  Cisneros,  and  when  I  told  him  it  was  not, 
he  said  that  I  looked  like  a  Spaniard,  and  he  thought 
that  that  might  be  my  name.  And  so,  as  he  had  asked 
me  about  myself,  I  .asked  him  if  he  was  a  Minorcan, 
and  he  said  'yes.' ' 

"  And  what  then  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Nothing,"  said  Rectus.  "  He  went  on  with  his 
clams,  and  I  came  home." 

"  You  did  n't  seem  to  make  much  out  of  him,  after 
all,"  said  I.  "  I  don't  wonder  he  thought  you  were  a 
Spaniard,  with  that  hat.  I  told  you  you  'd  make  a 
show  of  yourself.  But  what  are  you  going  to  do  with 
your  Minorcans,  Rectus,  when  you  catch  them  ?  " 


TO    THE   RESCUE.  45 

He  laughed,  but  did  n't  mention  his  plans. 

"  I  did  n't  know  how  you  got  clams,"  he  said.  "  I 
thought  you  caught  them  some  way.  It  would  never 
have  entered  my  head  to  dig  for  them." 

"  There  's  lots  to  learn  in  this  town  about  fish,  and 
ever  so  many  other  things  besides;  and  I  tell  you 
what  it  is,  Rectus,  as  soon  as  we  get  through  with  the 
fort, — and  I  don't  know  how  long  that  will  take  u^, 
for  I  heard  on  the  steamer  that  it  had  underground 
dungeons, — we  '11  go  off  on  a  first-class  exploring 
expedition." 

That  suited  Rectus  exactly. 

After  breakfast  we  started  for  the  fort.  It  is  just 
outside  of  the  town,  and  you  can  walk  all  the  way  on 
the  sea-wall,  which  is  about  a  yard  wide  on  top, — just 
a  little  too  wide  for  one  fellow,  but  not  quite  wide 
enough  for  two. 

The  United  States  government  holds  the  fort  now, 
of  course,  and  calls  it  Fort  Marion,  but  the  old  Spanish 
name  was  San  Marco,  and  we  disdained  to  call  it  any 
thing  else.  When  we  went  over  the  drawbridge,  and 
across  the  moat,  we  saw  the  arms  of  Spain  on  a  shield 
over  the  great  gate  of  the  fort.  We  walked  right  in, 
into  a  wide  hall,  with  dark  door-ways  on  each  side, 
and  then  out  into  a  great  inclosed  space,  like  a  parade- 
ground,  in  the  centre  of  the  fort,  and  here  we  saw  a 
whole  crowd  of  Indians.  We  did  n't  expect  to  find 
Indians  here,  and  we  were  very  much  surprised.  They 
did  not  wear  Indian  clothes,  but  were  dressed  in 
United  States  military  uniform.  They  did  n't  look 
like  anything  but  Indians,  though,  for  all  that.  I 


46 


A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 


asked  one  of  them  if  he  belonged  here,  and  he  smiled 
and  said  "  How  ?  "  and  held  out  his  hand.  We  both 
shook  it,  but  could  make  nothing  out  of  him.  A 


HOW  ?  ' 


good  many  of  them  now  came  up  and  said  "How?'' 
to  us,  and  shook  hands,  and  we  soon  found  that  this 


TO    THE    RESCUE.  47 

meant  "  How  d'  ye  do  ? "  and  was  about  all  they 
knew  of  English. 

We  were  lucky  enough,  before  we  got  through 
shaking  hands  with  our  new  friends,  to  see  Mr.  Cholott 
coming  toward  us,  and  he  immediately  took  us  in 
charge,  and  seemed  to  be  glad  to  have  a  job  of  the 
kind.  There  was  nothing  about  the  fort  that  he 
did  n't  know.  He  told  us  that  the  Indians  were 
prisoners,  taken  in  the  far  West  by  United  States 
troops,  and  that  some  of  them  were  the  worst  Indians 
in  the  whole  country.  They  were  safe  enough  now, 
though,  and  were  held  here  as  hostages.  Some  were 
chiefs,  and  they  were  all  noted  men, — some  as  mur 
derers,  and  others  in  less  important  ways.  They  had 
been  here  for  some  years,  and  a  few  of  them  could 
speak  a  little  English. 

He  then  took  us  all  over  the  fort, —  up  an  inclined 
plane  to  the  top  of  the  ramparts,  and  into  the  Indian 
barracks  on  one  of  the  wide  walls,  where  we  saw  a  lot 
of  Cheyennes  and  Kiowas,  and  Indians  from  other 
tribes,  sitting  around  and  making  bows  and  arrows, 
and  polishing  sea-beans  to  sell  to  visitors.  At  each 
corner  of  the  fort  was  a  "  lookout  tower," — a  little 
box  of  a  place,  stuck  out  from  the  top  of  the  wall, 
with  loopholes  and  a  long,  narrow  passage  leading  to 
it,  with  a  high  wall  on  each  side  to  protect  from  bullets 
and  arrows  the  man  who  went  to  look  out.  One  of 
the  towers  had  been  knocked  off,  probably  by  a 
cannon-ball.  These  towers  and  slim  little  passages 
took  our  fancy  greatly.  Then  Mr.  Cholott  took  us 
downstairs  to  see  the  dungeons.  He  got  the  key  and 


48  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

gave  it  to  a  big  old  Indian,  named  Red  Horse,  who 
went  ahead  with  a  lighted  kerosene-lamp. 

We  first  saw  the  dungeon  where  the  Indian  chief, 
Osceola,  was  shut  up  during  the  Seminole  war.  It 
was  a  dreary  place.  There  was  another  chief,  Wild 
Cat,  who  was  imprisoned  with  Osceola,  and  one  night 
Osceola  "  boosted  "  him  to  a  high  window,  where  he 
squeezed  through  the  bars  and  got  away.  If  Osceola 
had  had  any  one  to  give  him  a  lift,  I  suppose  he  would 
have  been  ofif,  too.  Rectus  and  I  wondered  how  the 
two  Indians  managed  this  little  question  of  who  should 
be  hoisted.  Perhaps  they  tossed  up,  or  perhaps  Wild 
Cat  was  the  lighter  of  the  two.  The  worst  dungeon, 
though,  was  a  place  that  was  discovered  by  accident 
about  thirty  years  ago.  There  was  nothing  there 
when  we  went  in  ;  but,  when  it  was  first  found,  a 
chained  skeleton  was  lying  on  the  floor.  Through  a 
hole  in  the  wall  we  crept  into  another  dungeon,  worse 
yet,  in  which  two  iron  cages  were  found  hung  to  the 
wall,  with  skeletons  in  them.  It  seemed  like  being  in 
some  other  country  to  stand  in  this  dark  little  dun 
geon,  and  hear  these  dreadful  stories,  while  a  big 
Indian  stood  grinning  by,  holding  a  kerosene-lamp. 

Mr.  Cholott  told  us  that  one  of  the  cages  and  the 
bones  could  now  be  seen  in  Washington. 

After  Mr.  Cholott  went  home,  we  tramped  all  over 
the  fort  again  by  ourselves,  and  that  afternoon  we  sat 
on  the  outer  wall  that  runs  along  the  harbor-front  of 
the  fort,  and  watched  the  sail-boats  and  the  fishermen 
in  their  "  dug-outs."  There  were  a  couple  of  sharks 
swimming  up  and  down  in  front  of  the  town,  and 


TO    THE    RESCUE.  49 

every  now  and  then  they  would  come  up  and  show 
themselves.  They  were  the  first  sharks  we  had  ever 
seen. 

Rectus  was  worked  up  about  the  Indians.  We  had 
been  told  that,  while  a  great  many  of  the  chiefs  and 
braves  imprisoned  here  were  men  known  to  have  com 
mitted  crimes,  still  there  were  others  who  had  done 
nothing  wrong,  and  had  been  captured  and  brought 
here  as  prisoners,  simply  because,  in  this  way,  the 
government  would  have  a  good  hold  on  their  tribes. 

Rectus  thought  this  was  the  worst  kind  of  injustice, 
and  I  agreed  with  him,  although  I  did  n't  see  what  we 
were  going  to  do  about  it. 

On  our  way  home  we  met  Rectus's  Minorcan;  he 
was  a  queer  old  fellow. 

"  Hello  !  "  said  he,  when  he  saw  Rectus.  "Have  you 
been  out  catching  clams  ?  " 

We  stopped  and  talked  a  little  while  about  the 
sharks,  and  then  the  old  man  asked  Rectus  why  he 
wanted  to  know,  that  morning,  whether  he  was  a 
Minorcan  or  not. 

"  I  just  wanted  to  see  one,"  said  Rectus,  as  if  he  had 
been  talking  of  kangaroos  or  giraffes.  "  I  've  been 
thinking  a  good  deal  about  them,  and  their  bold  escape 
from  slavery,  and  their " 

" Slavery  !  "  sung  out  the  old  man.  "We  were  never 
slaves  !  What  do  you  mean  by  that  ?  Do  you  take 
us  for  niggers  ?  " 

He  was  pretty  mad,  and  I  don't  wonder,  if  that  was 
the  way  he  understood  Rectus,  for  he  was  just  as  much 
a  white  man  as  either  of  us. 


50  A    JOLLY   FELLOWSHIP. 

"  Oh  no  ! "  said  Rectus.  "  But  I  Ve  heard  all  about 
you,  and  that  tyrant  Turnbull,  and  the  way  you  cast 
off  his  yoke.  I  mean  your  fathers,  of  course." 

"  I  reckon  you  Ve  heard  a  little  too  much,  young 
man,"  said  the  Minorcan.  "Somebody  's  been  stuffin' 
you.  You  'd  better  get  a  hook  and  line,  and  go  out  to 
catch  clams." 

"  Why,  you  don't  understand  me  !  "  cried  Rectus. 
"  I  honor  you  for  it." 

The  old  man  looked  at  him  and  then  at  me,  and 
then  he  laughed.  "  All  right,  bub,"  said  he.  "  If 
ever  you  want  to  hire  a  boat,  I  Ve  got  one.  My  name 
is  Menendez.  Just  ask  for  my  boat  at  the  club-house 
wharf."  And  then  he  went  on. 

"  That  's  all  you  get  for  your  sympathy  with 
oppressed  people,"  said  Rectus.  "They  call  you 
bub." 

"Well,  that  old  fellow  is  n't  oppressed,"  I  said; 
"  and  if  any  of  his  ancestors  were,  I  don't  suppose  he 
cares  about  remembering  it.  We  ought  to  hire  his 
boat  some  time." 

That  evening  we  took  a  walk  along  the  sea-wall.  It 
was  a  beautiful  starlight  night,  and  a  great  many  peo 
ple  were  walking  about.  When  we  got  down  near  the 
fort, — which  looked  bigger  and  grayer  than  ever  by 
the  starlight, — Rectus  said  he  would  like  to  get  inside 
of  it  by  night,  and  I  agreed  that  it  would  be  a  good 
thing  to  do.  So  we  went  over  the  drawbridge  (this 
place  has  a  drawbridge,  and  portcullises,  and  barbi 
cans,  and  demi-lunes,  and  a  moat,  just  as  if  it  were  a 
castle  or  a  fort  of  some  old  country  in  Europe), — but 


TO    THE    RESCUE.  51 

the  big  gate  was  shut.  We  did  n't  care  to  knock,  for 
all  was  dark,  and  we  came  away.  Rectus  proposed 
that  we  should  reconnoitre  the  place,  and  I  agreed, 
although,  in  reality,  there  was  n't  anything  to  recon 
noitre.  We  went  down  into  the  moat,  which  was  per 
fectly  dry,  and  very  wide,  and  walked  all  around  the 
fort. 

We  examined  the  walls,  which  were  pretty  jagged 
and  rough  in  some  places,  and  we  both  agreed  that  if 
we  had  to  do  it,  we  believed  we  could  climb  to  the 
top. 

As  we  walked  home,  Rectus  proposed  that  we 
should  try  to  climb  in  some  night. 

"  What  's  the  good  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Why,  it  would  be  a  splendid  thing,"  said  he,  "  to 
scale  the  walls  of  an  old  Middle- Age  fort,  like  tHt. 
Let  's  try  it,  anyway." 

I  could  n't  help  thinking  that  it  would  be  rather  a 
fine  thing  to  do,  but  it  did  seem  rather  foolish  to  risk 
our  necks  to  get  over  the  walls  at  night,  when  we 
could  walk  in,  whenever  we  pleased,  all  day. 

But  it  was  of  no  use  to  say  anything  like  that  to 
Rectus.  He  was  full  of  the  idea  of  scaling  the  walls, 
and  I  found  that,  when  the  boy  did  get  worked  up  to 
anything,  he  could  talk  first-rate,  and  before  we  went 
to  sleep  I  got  the  notion  of  it,  too,  and  we  made  up 
our  minds  that  we  would  try  it. 

The  next  day  we  walked  around  the  walls  two  or 
three  times,  and  found  a  place  where  we  thought  we 
could  get  up,  if  we  had  a  rope  fastened  to  the  top  of 
the  wall.  When  General  Oglethorpe  bombarded  the 


52  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

fort, — at  the  time  the  Spaniards  held  it, — he  made  a 
good  many  dents  in  the  wall,  and  these  would  help  us. 
I  did  climb  up  a  few  feet,  but  we  saw  that  it  would 
never  do  to  try  to  get  all  the  way  up  without  a  rope. 

How  to  fasten  the  rope  on  the  top  of  the  wall  was 
the  next  question.  We  went  in  the  fort,  and  found 
that  if  we  could  get  a  stout  grapnel  over  the  wall,  it 
would  probably  catch  on  the  inside  of  the  coping,  and 
give  us  a  good  enough  hold.  There  is  a  wide  walk  on 
top,  with  a  low  wall  on  the  outside,  just  high  enough 
to  shelter  cannon,  and  to  enable  the  garrison  to  dodge 
musketry  and  arrows. 

We  had  a  good  deal  of  trouble  finding  a  rope,  but 
we  bought  one,  at  last,  which  was  stout  enough, — the 
man  asked  us  if  we  were  going  to  fish  for  sharks,  and 
did  n't  seem  to  believe  us  when  we  said  no, — and  we 
took  it  to  our  room,  and  made  knots  in  it  about  a  foot 
apart.  The  fort  walls  are  about  twenty  feet  high,  and 
we  made  the  rope  plenty  long  enough,  with  something 
to  spare.  We  did  n't  have  much  trouble  to  find  a 
grapnel.  We  bought  a  small  one,  but  it  was  strong 
enough.  We  talked  the  matter  over  a  great  deal,  and 
went  to  the  fort  several  times,  making  examinations, 
and  measuring  the  height  of  the  wall,  from  the  top, 
with  a  spool  of  cotton. 

It  was  two  or  three  days  before  we  got  everything 
ready,  and  in  our  trips  to  the  fort  we  saw  a  good  deal 
of  the  Indians.  We  often  met  them  in  the  town,  too, 
for  they  were  frequently  allowed  to  go  out  and  walk 
about  by  themselves.  There  was  no  danger,  I  sup 
pose,  of  their  trying  to  run  away,  for  they  were 


TO    THE    RESCUE.  53 

several  thousand  miles  from  their  homes,  and  they 
probably  would  not  care  to  run  to  any  other  place 
with  no  larger  stock  of  the  English  language  than 
one  word,  "  How  ?  "  Some  of  them,  however,  could 
talk  a  little  English.  There  was  one  big  fellow 
— he  was  probably  the  largest  of  them  all — who 
was  called  "  Maiden's  Heart."  I  could  n't  see  how 
his  name  fitted,  for  he  looked  like  an  out-and-out 
savage,  and  generally  wore  a  grin  that  seemed  wicked 
enough  to  frighten  settlers  out  of  his  part  of  the  coun 
try.  But  he  may  have  had  a  tender  spot,  somewhere, 
which  entitled  him  to  his  name,  and  he  was  certainly 
very  willing  to  talk  to  us,  to  the  extent  of  his  ability, 
which  was  not  very  great.  We  managed,  however, 
to  have  some  interesting,  though  rather  choppy,  con 
versations. 

There  was  another  fellow,  a  young  chief,  called 
Crowded  Owl,  that  we  liked  better  than  any  of  the 
others,  although  we  could  n't  talk  to  him  at  all.  He 
was  not  much  older  than  I  was,  and  so  seemed  to  take 
to  us.  He  would  walk  all  around  with  us,  and  point 
out  things.  We  had  bought  some  sea-beans  of  him, 
and  it  may  be  that  he  hoped  to  sell  us  some  more.  At 
any  rate,  he  was  very  friendly. 

We  met  Mr.  Cholott  several  times,  and  he  told  us  of 
some  good  places  to  go  to,  and  said  he  'd  take  us  out 
fishing  before  long.  But  we  were  in  no  hurry  for  any 
expedition  until  we  had  carried  out  our  little  plan  of 
surprising  the  fort.  I  gave  the  greater  part  of  our 
money,  however,  to  Mr.  Cholott  to  lock  up  in  his  safe. 
I  did  n't  like  old  Mr.  Colbert's  plan  of  going  about  with 


54  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

your  capital  pinned  to  your  pockets.  It  might  do 
while  we  were  travelling,  but  I  would  rather  have  had 
it  in  drafts  or  something  else  not  easily  lost. 

We  had  a  good  many  discussions  about  our  grapnel. 
We  did  not  know  whether  there  was  a  sentinel  on  duty 
in  the  fort  at  night  or  not,  but  supposed  there  was, 
and,  if  so,  he  would  be  likely  to  hear  the  grapnel  when 
we  threw  it  up  and  it  hit  the  stones.  We  thought 
we  could  get  over  this  difficulty  by  wrapping  the 
grapnel  in  cotton  wool.  This  would  deaden  the 
sound  when  it  struck,  but  would  not  prevent  the 
points  of  the  hooks  from  holding  to  the  inner  edge  of 
the  wall.  Everything  now  seemed  all  right,  except 
that  we  had  no  object  in  view  after  we  got  over  the 
wall.  I  always  like  to  have  some  reason  for  doing 
a  thing,  especially  when  it  's  pretty  hard  to  do.  I  said 
this  to  Rectus,  and  he  agreed  with  me. 

"  What  I  would  like  to  do,"  said  he,  "  would  be  to 
benefit  the  innocent  Indian  prisoners." 

"  I  don't  know  what  we  can  do  for  them,"  said  I. 
"  We  can't  let  them  out,  and  they  'd  all  go  back  again 
if  we  did." 

"  No,  we  can't  do  that,"  said  he ;  "  but  we  ought  to 
do  something.  I  Ve  been  around  looking  at  them  all 
carefully,  and  I  feel  sure  that  there  are  at  least  forty 
men  among  those  Indians  who  have  n't  done  a  thing 
to  warrant  shutting  them  up." 

' 'Why,  how  do  you  know?"   I  exclaimed. 

"  I  judge  from  their  faces,"  said  Rectus. 

Of  course  this  made  me  laugh,  but  he  did  n't  care. 

"  I  '11  tell  you  what  we   could  do,"  said  he ;  "  we 


TO    THE   RESCUE.  55 

could  enter  a  protest  that  might  be  heard  of,  and  do 
some  good.  We  could  take  a  pot  of  black  paint  and  a 
brush  with  us,  and  paint  on  one  of  the  doors  that  open 
into  the  inner  square, —  where  everybody  could  see  it, 
—  something  like  this  :  '  Let  the  righteous  Indian  go 
free.'  That  would  create  talk,  and  something  might 
be  done." 

"  Who  'd  do  it  ?  "  said  I.  "  The  captain  in  com 
mand  could  n't.  He  has  no  power  to  let  any  of  them 
go  free." 

"  Well,  we  might  address  the  notice  to  the  President 
of  the  United  States — in  big  black  letters.  They 
could  not  conceal  such  a  thing." 

"  Well,  now,  look  here,  Rectus,"  said  I ;  "this  thing 
is  going  to  cost  too  much  money.  That  rope  was 
expensive,  and  the  grapnel  cost  a  good  deal  more 
than  we  thought  it  would  ;  and  now  you  want  a  big 
pot  of  black  paint.  We  must  n't  spend  our  money  too 
fast,  and  if  we  Ve  got  to  economize,  let  's  begin  on 
black  paint  You  can  write  your  proclamation  on 
paper,  and  stick  it  on  the  door  with  tacks.  They  could 
send  that  easier  to  the  President  than  they  could 
send  a  whole  door." 

"You  may  make  as  much  fun  as  you  please,"  said 
Rectus,  "  but  I  'm  going  to  write  it  out  now." 

And  so  he  did,  in  big  letters,  on  half  a  sheet  of 
foolscap. 


CHAPTER   V. 

STORMING   SAN   MARCO. 

WE  started  out  on  our  storming  expedition  on  a 
Tuesday  night,  about  nine  o'clock ;  we  had  a 
latch-key,  so  we  could  come  home  when  we  pleased. 
Rectus  carried  the  rope,  and  I  had  the  grapnel, 
wrapped  in  its  cotton  wool.  We  put  newspapers 
around  these  things,  and  made  pretty  respectable 
packages  of  them.  We  did  not  go  down  the  sea 
wall,  but  walked  around  through  some  of  the  inner 
streets.  It  seemed  to  us  like  a  curious  expedition.  We 
were  not  going  to  do  anything  wrong,  but  we  had  no 
idea  what  the  United  States  government  would  think 
about  it.  We  came  down  to  the  fort  on  its  landward 
side,  but  our  attack  was  to  be  made  upon  the  water 
front,  and  so  we  went  around  that  way,  on  the  side 
farthest  from  the  town.  There  were  several  people 
about  yet,  and  we  had  to  wait.  We  dropped  our 
packages  into  the  moat,  and  walked  about  on  the 
water-battery,  which  is  between  the  harbor  and  the 
moat,  and  is  used  as  a  sort  of  pleasure-ground  by  the 

56 


STORMING    SAN   MARCO.  57 

people  of  the  town.  It  was  a  pretty  dark  night, 
although  the  stars  were  out,  and  the  last  of  the  prome- 
naders  soon  went  home  ;  and  then,  after  giving  them 
about  ten  minutes  to  get  entirely  out  of  sight  and 
hearing,  we  jumped  down  into  the  moat,  which  is  only 
five  or  six  feet  below  the  water- battery,  and,  taking 
our  packages,  went  over  to  that  part  of  the  wall  which 
we  had  fixed  upon  for  our  assault. 

We  fastened  the  rope  to  the  grapnel,  and  then  Rec- 
tus  stood  back  while  I  made  ready  for  the  throw.  It 
was  a  pretty  big  throw,  almost  straight  up  in  the  air, 
but  I  was  strong,  and  was  used  to  pitching,  and  all 
that  sort  of  thing.  I  coiled  the  rope  on  the  ground, 
took  the  loose  end  of  it  firmly  in  my  left  hand,  and 
then,  letting  the  grapnel  hang  from  my  right  hand 
until  it  nearly  touched  the  ground,  I  swung  it  round 
and  round,  perpendicularly,  and  when  it  had  gone 
round  three  or  four  times,  I  gave  it  a  tremendous  hurl 
upward. 

It  rose  beautifully,  like  a  rocket,  and  fell  inside  of 
the  ramparts,  making  only  a  little  thud  of  a  sound. 

"  First-rate  !  "  said  Rectus,  softly  ;  and  I  felt  pretty 
proud  myself. 

I  pulled  on  the  rope,  and  found  the  grapnel  had 
caught.  I  hung  with  my  whole  weight  on  it,  but  it 
held  splendidly. 

"  Now,  then,"  said  I  to  Rectus,  "  you  can  climb  up. 
Go  slowly,  and  be  very  careful.  There  's  no  hurry. 
And  mind  you  take  a  good  hold  when  you  get  to  the 
top." 

We  had  arranged  that  Rectus  was  to  go  first.     This 

3* 


58  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

did  not  look  very  brave  on  my  part,  but  I  felt  that  I 
wanted  to  be  under  him,  while  he  was  climbing,  so 
that  I  could  break  his  fall  if  he  should  slip  down.  It 
would  not  be  exactly  a  perpendicular  fall,  for  the  wall 
slanted  a  little,  but  it  would  be  bad  enough.  However, 
I  had  climbed  up  worse  places  than  that,  and  Rectus 
was  very  nimble ;  so  I  felt  there  was  no  great  danger. 

Up  he  went,  hand  over  hand,  and  putting  his  toes 
into  nicks  every  now  and  then,  thereby  helping  himself 
very  much.  He  took  it  slowly  and  easily,  and  I  felt 
sure  he  would  be  all  right.  As  I  looked  at  him,  climb 
ing  up  there  in  the  darkness,  while  I  was  standing 
below,  holding  the  rope  so  that  it  should  not  swing, 
I  could  not  help  thinking  that  I  was  a  pretty  curious 
kind  of  a  tutor  for  a  boy.  However,  I  was  taking  all 
the  care  of  him  that  I  could,  and  if  he  came  down 
he  'd  probably  hurt  me  worse  than  he  would  hurt  him 
self.  Besides,  I  had  no  reason  to  suppose  that  old  Mr. 
Colbert  objected  to  a  little  fun.  Then  I  began  to  think 
of  Mrs.  Colbert,  and  while  I  was  thinking  of  her,  and 
looking  up  at  Rectus,  I  was  amazed  to  see  him  going 
up  quite  rapidly,  while  the  end  of  the  rope  slipped 
through  my  fingers.  Up  he  went,  and  when  I  ran 
back,  I  could  see  a  dark  figure  on  the  wall,  above  him. 
Somebody  was  pulling  him  up. 

In  a  very  few  moments  he  disappeared  over  the  top, 
rope  and  all ! 

Now,  I  was  truly  frightened.  What  might  happen 
to  the  boy  ? 

I  was  about  to  shout,  but,  on  second  thoughts, 
decided  to  keep  quiet ;  yet  I  instantly  made  up  my 


STORMING   SAN  MARCO.  59 

mind  that,  if  I  did  n't  see  or  hear  from  him  pretty 
soon,  I  would  run  around  to  the  gate  and  bang  up  the 
people  inside.  However,  it  was  not  necessary  for  me 
to  trouble  myself,  for,  in  a  minute,  the  rope  came 
down  again,  and  I  took  hold  of  it.  I  pulled  on  it  and 
found  it  all  firm,  and  then  I  went  up.  I  climbed  up 
pretty  fast,  and  two  or  three  times  I  felt  a  tug,  as  if 
somebody  above  was  trying  to  pull  me  up.  But  it 
was  of  no  use,  for  I  was  a  great  deal  stouter  and 
heavier  than  Rectus,  who  was  a  light,  slim  boy.  But 
as  I  neared  the  top,  a  hand  came  down  and  clutched 
me  by  the  collar,  and  some  one,  with  a  powerful  arm 
and  grip,  helped  me  over  the  top  of  the  wall.  There 
stood  Rectus,  all  right,  and  the  fellow  who  had  helped 
us  up  was  the  big  Indian,  "  Maiden's  Heart." 

I  looked  at  Rectus,  and  he  whispered : 

"  He  says  there  's  a  sentinel  down  there  in  the 
square." 

At  this,  Maiden's  Heart  bobbed  his  head  two  or 
three  times,  and,  motioning  to  us  to  crouch  down,  he 
crept  quietly  over  to  the  inner  wall  of  the  ramparts 
and  looked  down. 

"  What  shall  we  say  we  came  for  ?  "  I  whispered, 
quickly. 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Rectus. 

"Well,  we  must  think  of  something,"  I  said,  "or 
we  shall  look  like  fools." 

But  before  he  had  time  to  think,  Maiden's  Heart 
crept  back.  He  put  his  finger  on  his  lips,  and,  beck 
oning  us  to  follow  him,  he  led  the  way  to  a  corner  of 
the  fort  near  one  of  the  lookout  towers.  We  followed 


60  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

as  quietly  as  we  could,  and  then  we  all  three  slipped 
into  the  narrow  entrance  to  the  tower,  the  Indian 
motioning  us  to  go  first.  When  we  two  stood  inside 
of  the  little  round  tower,  old  Maiden's  Heart  planted 
himself  before  us  in  the  passage,  and  waited  to  hear 
what  we  had  to  say. 

But  we  could  n't  think  of  anything  to  say.  Directly, 
however,  I  .thought  I  must  do  something,  so  I  whis 
pered  to  the  Indian : 

"  Does  the  sentry  ever  come  up  here  ?" 

He  seemed  to  catch  my  meaning. 

"  I  go  watch,"  he  said.  "  Come  back.  Tell  you." 
And  off  he  stole,  making  no  more  noise  than  a 
cat. 

"  Bother  on  him  !  "  said  Rectus.  "  If  I  'd  known 
he  was  up  here,  I  would  never  have  come." 

"I  reckon  not,"  said  I.  "But  now  that  we  have 
come,  what  are  we  going  to  do  or  say?  That  fellow 
evidently  thinks  we  have  some  big  project  on  hand, 
and  he 's  ready  to  help  us ;  we  must  be  careful,  or 
he'll  rush  down  and  murder  the  sentinel." 

"  I  'm  sure  I  don't  know  what  to  say  to  him,"  said 
Rectus.  "  We  ought  to  have  thought  of  this  before. 
I  suppose  it  would  be  of  no  use  to  mention  my  poster 
to  him." 

"  No,  indeed,"  said  I;  "he  'd  never  understand  that. 
And,  besides,  there  's  a  man  down  there.  Let 's  peep 
out  and  see  what  he  's  doing." 

So  we  crept  to  the  entrance  of  the  passage,  and  saw 
Maiden's  Heart,  crouched  near  the  top  of  the  inclined 
plane  which  serves  as  a  stairway  from  the  square  to 


STORMING   SAN  MARCO.  61 

the  ramparts,  and  looking  over  the  low  wall,  evidently 
watching  the  sentry. 

"  I  '11  tell  you  what  let 's  do,"  said  Rectus.  "  Let 's 
make  a  rush  for  our  rope,  and  get  out  of  this." 

"  No,  sir  !  "  said  I.  "  We  'd  break  our  necks  if  we 
tried  to  hurry  down  that  rope.  Don't  think  of  any 
thing  of  that  kind.  And,  besides,  we  could  n't  both 
get  down  before  he  'd  see  us." 

In  a  few  minutes,  Maiden's  Heart  crept  quickly  back 
to  us,  and  seemed  surprised  that  we  had  left  our 
hiding-place.  He  motioned  us  farther  back  into  the 
passage,  and  slipped  in  himself. 

We  did  not  have  time  to  ask  any  questions  before 
we  heard  the  sentry  coming  up  the  stairway,  which 
was  near  our  corner.  When  he  reached  the  top,  he 
walked  away  from  us  over  toward  the  Indian  barracks, 
which  were  on  the  ramparts,  at  the  other  end  of  the 
fort.  As  soon  as  he  reached  the  barracks,  Maiden's 
Heart  took  me  by  the  arm  and  Rectus  by  the  collar, 
and  hurried  us  to  the  stairway,  and  then  down  as  fast 
as  we  could  go.  He  made  no  noise  himself,  but 
Rectus  and  I  clumped  a  good  deal.  We  had  to  wear 
our  shoes,  for  the  place  was  paved  with  rough  concrete 
and  oyster-shells. 

The  sentry  evidently  heard  the  clumping,  for  he 
came  running  down  after  us,  and  caught  up  to  us 
almost  as  soon  as  we  reached  the  square. 

"  Eugh  !  "  said  he,  for  he  was  an  Indian ;  and  he 
ran  in  front  of  us,  and  held  his  musket  horizontally 
before  us.  Of  course  we  stopped.  And  then,  as 
there  was  nothing  else  that  seemed  proper  to  do,  we 


62  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

held  out  our  hands  and  said  "How?"  The  sentinel 
took  his  gun  in  his  left  hand,  and  shook  hands  with 
us.  Then  Maiden's  Heart,  who  probably  remembered 
that  he  had  omitted  this  ceremony,  also  shook  hands 
with  us  and  said  "  How  ?  " 

The  two  Indians  now  began  to  jabber  to  each  other, 
in  a  low  voice ;  but  we  could  not,  of  course,  make  out 
what  they  said,  and  I  don't  think  they  were  able  to 
imagine  what  we  intended  to  do.  We  were  standing 
near  the  inner  door  of  the  great  entrance- way,  and  into 
this  they  now  marched  us.  There  was  a  lamp  burning 
on  a  table. 

Said  Rectus:  "  I  guess  they  're  going  to  put  us  out 
of  the  front  door ;  "  but  he  was  mistaken.  They 
walked  us  into  a  dark  room,  on  one  side  of  the  hall, 
and  Maiden's  Heart  said  to  us:  "  Stay  here.  Him 
mad.  I  come  back.  Keep  still,"  and  then  he  went 
out,  probably  to  discuss  with  the  sentinel  the  nature  of 
our  conspiracy.  It  was  very  dark  in  this  room,  and, 
at  first,  we  could  n't  see  anything  at  all ;  but  we  soon 
found,  from  the  smell  of  the  bread,  that  we  were  in  the 
kitchen  or  bakery.  We  had  been  here  before,  and  had 
seen  the  head-cook,  a  ferocious  Indian  squaw,  who 
had  been  taken  in  the  act  of  butchering  a  poor  emi 
grant  woman  on  the  plains.  She  always  seemed  sul 
len  and  savage,  and  never  said  a  word  to  anybody. 
We  hoped  she  was  n't  in  here  now. 

"  I  did  n't  know  they  had  Indian  sentinels/'  said 
Rectus.  "  That  seems  a  little  curious  to  me.  I  sup 
pose  they  set  the  innocent  ones  to  watch  the  guilty." 

"  I  don't  believe  that  would  work,"  said  I,  "  for  the 


STORMING   SAN  MARCO.  63 

innocent  chaps  would  want  to  get  away,  just  as  much 
as  the  others.  I  guess  they  make  'em  take  turns  to 
stand  guard.  There  has  to  be  a  sentinel  in  a  fort,  you 
know,  and  I  suppose  these  fellows  are  learning  the 
business." 

We  did  n't  settle  this  question,  nor  the  more  import 
ant  one  of  our  reason  for  this  visit ;  for,  at  this 
moment,  Maiden's  Heart  came  back,  carrying  the 
lamp.  He  looked  at  us  in  a  curious  way,  and  then  he 
said: 

"  What  you  want  ?  " 

I  could  n't  think  of  any  good  answer  to  this  ques 
tion,  but  Rectus  whispered  to  me : 

"  Got  any  money  with  you  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  I. 

"  Let  's  buy  some  sea-beans,"  said  Rectus. 

"  All  right,"  I  answered. 

"  Sea-beans  ?"  said  Maiden's  Heart,  who  had  caught 
the  word;  "  you  want  sea-beans  ?" 

"Yes,"  said  Rectus,  "if  you  have  any  good  ones." 

At  this,  the  Indian  conducted  us  into  the  hall,  put 
the  lamp  on  the  table,  and  took  three  or  four  sea- 
beans  from  his  pocket.  They  were  very  nice  ones,  and 
beautifully  polished. 

"  Good,"  said  I ;  "we  '11  take  these.  How  much, 
Maiden's  Heart  ?  " 

"  Fifty  cents,"  said  the  Indian. 

"  For  all  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  No.     No.     For  one.     Four  bean  two  dollar." 

We  both  exclaimed  at  this,  for  it  was  double  the 
regular  price  of  the  beans. 


64 


A    JOLLY    FELLOWSHIP. 


"  All  right,"  said  Maiden's  Heart.  "  Twenty-five 
cents,  daytime.  Fifty  cents,  night." 

We  looked  at  each  other,  and  concluded  to  pay  the 
price  and  depart.  I  gave  him  two  dollars,  and  asked 
him  to  open  the  gate  and  let  us  out. 


ANOTHER  BEAN. 


He  grinned. 

"  No.     No.     We    got  no   key.     Captain  got   key. 
Come  up  wall.     Go  down  wall." 


STORMING  SAN  MARCO.  65 

At  this,  we  walked  out  into  the  square,  and  were 
about  to  ascend  the  inclined  plane  when  the  sentinel 
came  up  and  stopped  us.  Thereupon  a  low  conversa 
tion  ensued  between  him  and  Maiden's  Heart,  at  the 
end  of  which  the  sentry  put  his  hand  into  his  pocket 
and  pulled  out  three  beans,  which  he  held  out  to  us.  I 
did  not  hesitate,  but  gave  him  a  dollar  and  a  half  for 
them.  He  took  the  money  and  let  us  pass  on, — 
Maiden's  Heart  at  my  side. 

"You  want  more  bean  ?  "  said  he. 

"  Oh,  no  !  "  I  answered.    "  No,  indeed,"  said  Rectus. 

When  we  reached  the  place  where  we  had  left  our 
apparatus,  I  swung  the  rope  over  the  wall,  and,  hook 
ing  the  grapnel  firmly  on  the  inside,  prepared  to  go 
down,  for,  as  before,  I  wished  to  be  under  Rectus,  if  he 
should  slip.  But  Maiden's  Heart  put  his  hand  on  my 
shoulder. 

"  Hold  up  !  "  he  said.  "  I  got  'nother  bean.  Buy 
this." 

"Don't  want  it,"  said  I. 

"  Yes.  Yes,"  said  Maiden's  Heart,  and  he  coolly 
unhooked  the  grapnel  from  the  wall. 

I  saw  that  it  was  of  no  use  to  contend  with  a  big 
fellow  like  that,  as  strong  as  two  common  men,  and  I 
bought  the  bean. 

I  took  the  grapnel  from  Maiden's  Heart,  who 
seemed  to  give  it  up  reluctantly,  and  as  I  hooked  it  on 
the  wall,  I  felt  a  hand  upon  my  shoulder.  I  looked 
around,  and  saw  the  sentinel.  He  held  out  to  me 
another  bean.  It  was  too  dark  to  see  the  quality  of 
it,  but  I  thought  it  was  very  small.  However,  I 


66  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

bought  it.  One  of  these  fellows  must  be  treated  a* 
well  as  the  other. 

Maiden's  Heart  and  the  sentry  were  now  feeling" 
nervously  in  their  pockets. 

I  shook  my  head  vigorously,  and  saying,  "  No 
more  !  no  more !  "  threw  myself  over  the  wall,  ant. 
seized  the  rope,  Rectus  holding  the  grapnel  in  it*, 
place  as  I  did  so.  As  I  let  myself  down  from  knot  to 
knot,  a  thought  crossed  my  mind :  "  How  are  wt 
going  to  get  that  grapnel  after  we  both  are  down  ?  " 

It  was  a  frightening  thought.  If  the  two  Indians 
should  choose,  they  could  keep  the  rope  and  grapnel, 
and,  before  morning,  the  whole  posse  of  red-skins 
might  be  off  and  away  !  I  did  not  think  about  their 
being  so  far  from  home,  and  all  that.  I  only  thought 
that  they  'd  be  glad  to  get  out,  and  that  they  would 
all  come  down  our  rope. 

These  reflections,  which  ran  through  my  mind  in  no 
time  at  all,  were  interrupted  by  Rectus,  who  called 
down  from  the  top  of  the  wall,  in  a  voice  that  was  a 
little  too  loud  to  be  prudent : 

"  Hurry  !     I  think  he  's  found  another  bean  !  " 

I  was  on  the  ground  in  a  few  moments,  and  then 
Rectus  came  down.  I  called  to  him  to  come  slowly 
and  be  very  careful,  but  I  can't  tell  how  relieved  1 
was  when  I  saw  him  fairly  over  the  wall  and  on  his 
way  down. 

When  we  both  stood  on  the  ground,  I  took  hold  of 
the  rope  and  shook  it.  I  am  not  generally  nervous, 
but  I  was  a  little  nervous  then.  I  did  not  shake  the 
grapnel  loose.  Then  I  let  the  rope  go  slack,  for  a  foot 


STORMING   SAN   MARCO  67 

or  two,  and  gave  it  a  big  sweep  to  one  side.  To  my 
great  delight,  over  came  the  grapnel,  nearly  falling  on 
our  heads.  I  think  I  saw  Maiden's  Heart  make  a 
grab  at  it  as  it  came  over,  but  I  am  not  sure.  How 
ever,  he  poked  his  head  over  the  wall  and  said : 

"Good-bye!     Come  again." 

We  answered,  "Good-bye,"  but  did  n't  say  anything 
about  coming  again. 

As  we  hurried  along  homeward,  Rectus  said : 

"  If  one  of  those  Indians  had  kept  us  up  there, 
while  the  other  one  ran  into  the  barracks  and  got  a 
fresh  stock  of  sea-beans,  they  would  have  just  bank 
rupted  us." 

"No,  they  would  n't,"  I  said.  "For  I  had  n't 
much  more  change  with  me.  And  if  I  had  had  it,  I 
would  n't  have  given  them  any  more.  I  'd  have 
called  up  the  captain  first.  The  thing  was  getting  too 
expensive." 

"  Well,  I  'm  glad  I  'm  out  of  it,"  said  Rectus.  "And 
I  don't  believe  much  in  any  of  those  Indians  being 
very  innocent.  I  thought  Maiden's  Heart  was  one  of 
the  best  of  them,  but  he  's  a  regular  rascal.  He 
knew  we  wanted  to  back  out  of  that  affair,  and  he 
just  fleeced  us." 

"  I  believe  he  would  rather  have  had  our  scalps 
than  our  money,  if  he  had  had  us  out  in  his  country," 
I  said. 

"  That  's  so,"  said  Rectus.  "  A  funny  kind  of  a 
maiden's  heart  he  's  got." 

We  were  both  out  of  conceit  with  the  noble  red 
man.  Rectus  took  his  proclamation  out  of  his  pocket 


68  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

as  we  walked  along  the  sea-wall,  and,  tearing  it  into 
little  pieces,  threw  it  into  the  water.  When  we  reached 
the  steam- ship  wharf,  we  walked  out  to  the  end  of  it, 
to  get  rid  of  the  rope  and  grapnel.  I  whirled  the 
grapnel  round  and  round,  and  let  the  whole  thing  fly 
far  out  into  the  harbor.  It  was  a  sheer  waste  of  a 
good  strong  rope,  but  we  should  have  had  a  dreary 
time  getting  the  knots  out  of  it. 

After  we  got  home  I  settled  up  our  accounts,  and 
charged  half  the  sea-beans  to  Rectus,  and  half  to 
myself. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   GIRL  ON  THE   BEACH. 

I  WAS  not  very  well  satisfied  with  our  trip  over  the 
walls  of  San  Marco.  In  the  first  place,  when  the 
sea-beans,  the  rope  and  the  grapnel  were  all  consid 
ered,  it  was  a  little  too  costly.  In  the  second  place, 
I  was  not  sure  that  I  had  been  carrying  out  my  con 
tract  with  Mr.  Colbert  in  exactly  the  right  spirit ;  for 
although  he  had  said  nothing  about  my  duties,  I  knew 
that  he  expected  me  to  take  care  of  his  son,  and  paid 
me  for  that.  And  I  felt  pretty  sure  that  helping  a 
fellow  climb  up  a  knotted  rope  into  an  old  fort  by 
night  was  not  the  best  way  of  taking  care  of  him.  The 
third  thing  that  troubled  me  in  regard  to  this  matter 
was  the  feeling  I  had  that  Rectus  had  led  me  into  it ; 
that  he  had  been  the  leader  and  not  I.  Now,  I  did 
not  intend  that  anything  of  that  kind  should  happen 
again.  I  did  not  come  out  on  this  expedition  to  follow 
Rectus  around  ;  indeed,  it  was  to  be  quite  the  other 
way.  But,  to  tell  the  truth,  I  had  not  imagined  that 
he  would  ever  try  to  make  people  follow  him.  He 

6g 


70  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

never  showed  at  school  that  such  a  thing  was  in  him. 
So,  for  these  three  reasons,  I  determined  that  there 
were  to  be  no  more  scrapes  of  that  sort,  which  gener 
ally  came  to  nothing,  after  all. 

For  the  next  two  or  three  days  we  roved  around 
the  old  town,  and  into  two  or  three  orange-groves, 
and  went  out  sailing  with  Mr.  Cholott,  who  owned  a 
nice  little  yacht,  or  sail-boat,  as  we  should  call  it  up 
north. 

The  sailing  here  is  just  splendid,  and,  one  morning, 
we  thought  we  'd  hire  a  boat  for  ourselves  and  go  out 
fishing  somewhere.  So  we  went  down  to  the  yacht- 
club  wharf  to  see  about  the  boat  that  belonged  to  old 
Menendez  —  Rectus's  Minorcan.  There  were  lots  of 
sail-boats  there  as  well  as  row-boats,  but  we  hunted 
up  the  craft  we  were  after,  and,  by  good  luck,  found 
Menendez  in  her,  bailing  her  out. 

So  we  engaged  her,  and  he  said  he  'd  take  us  over 
to  the  North  Beach  to  fish  for  bass.  That  suited  us, — 
any  beach  and  any  kind  of  fish, —  provided  he  'd 
hurry  up  and  get  his  boat  ready.  While  he  was 
scooping  away,  and  we  were  standing  on  the  wharf 
watching  him,  along  came  Crowded  Owl,  the  young 
Indian  we  had  always  liked — that  is,  ever  since  we 
had  known  any  of  them.  He  came  up,  said  "  How?" 
and  shook  hands,  and  then  pulled  out  some  sea-beans. 
The  sight  of  these  things  seemed  to  make  me  sick, 
and  as  for  Rectus,  he  sung  out : 

"  Do'  wan'  'em !  "  so  suddenly  that  it  seemed  like 
one  word,  and  a  pretty  savage  one  at  that. 

Crowded  Owl  looked  at  me,  but  I  shook  my  head, 


THE    GIRL    ON    THE   BEACH.  71 

and  said,  "  No,  no,  no !  "  Then  he  drew  himself  up 
and  just  stood  there.  He  seemed  struck  dumb  ;  but 
that  did  n't  matter,  as  he  could  n't  talk  to  us,  anyway. 
But  he  did  n't  go  away.  When  we  walked  farther  up 
the  wharf,  he  followed  us,  and  again  offered  us  some 
beans.  I  began  to  get  angry,  and  said  "  No  !  "  pretty 
violently.  At  this,  he  left  us,  but  as  we  turned  at  the 
end  of  the  wharf,  we  saw  him  near  the  club-house, 
standing  and  talking  with  Maiden's  Heart. 

"  I  think  it 's  a  shame  to  let  those  Indians  wander 
about  here  in  that  way,"  said  Rectus.  "  They  ought 
to  be  kept  within  bounds." 

I  could  n't  help  laughing  at  this  change  of  tune, 
but  said  that  I  supposed  only  a  few  of  them  got  leave 
of  absence  at  a  time. 

"  Well,"  said  Rectus,  "  there  are  some  of  them  that 
ought  never  to  come  out." 

"  Hello !  "  said  old  Menendez,  sticking  his  head  up 
above  the  edge  of  the  wharf.  "  We  're  ready  now. 
Git  aboard." 

And  so  we  scrambled  down  into  the  sail-boat,  and 
Menendez  pushed  off,  while  the  two  Indians  stood  and 
watched  us  as  we  slowly  moved  away. 

When  we  got  fairly  out,  our  sail  filled,  and  we  went 
scudding  away  on  a  good  wind.  Then  said  old 
Menendez,  as  he  sat  at  the  tiller : 

"  What  were  you  hollerin'  at  them  Injuns  about?" 

"  I  did  n't  know  that  we  were  hollerin',"  said  I,  "but 
they  were  bothering  us  to  buy  their  sea-beans." 

"That 's  curious,"  he  said.  "They  aint  much  given 
to  that  sort  of  thing.  But  there  's  no  tellin'  nothin' 


72  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

about  an  Injun.      If  I  had  my  way,  I  'd  hang  every 
one  of  'em." 

"  Rather  a  blood-thirsty  sentiment,"  said  I.  "  Per 
haps  some  of  them  don't  deserve  hanging." 

"Well,  I  've  never  seen  one  o'  that  kind,"  said  he, 
"  and  I  Ve  seen  lots  of  Injuns.  I  was  in  the  Seminolc 
war,  in  this  State,  and  was  nghtin'  Injuns  from  the 
beginnin'  to  the  end  of  it.  And  I  know  all  about  how 
to  treat  the  rascals.  You  must  hang  'em,  or  shoot 
'em,  as  soon  as  you  get  hold  of  'em." 

This  aroused  all  the  old  sympathy  for  the  oppressed 
red  man  that  dwelt  in  the  heart  of  young  Rectus,  and 
he  exclaimed : 

"  That  would  be  murder  !  There  are  always  two 
kinds  of  every  sort  of  people  —  all  are  not  bad.  It  is 
wrong  to  condemn  a  whole  division  of  the  human 
race  that  way." 

"  You  're  right  about  there  bein'  two  kinds  of 
Injuns,"  said  the  old  fellow.  "  There  's  bad  ones  and 
there  's  wuss  ones.  I  know  what  I  've  seen  for  myself. 
I  'd  hang  'em  all." 

We  debated  this  matter  some  time  longer,  but  we 
could  make  no  impression  on  the  old  Minorcan.  For 
some  reason  or  other,  probably  on  account  of  his 
sufferings  or  hardships  in  the  war,  he  was  extremely 
bitter  against  all  Indians.  "You  can't  tell  me,"  he 
replied  to  all  of  our  arguments,  and  I  think  he  com 
pletely  destroyed  all  the  sympathy  which  Rectus  had 
had  for  the  once  down-trodden  and  deceived  Minor- 
cans,  by  this  animosity  toward  members  of  another 
race  who  were  yet  in  captivity  and  bondage.  To  be 


THE    GIRL    ON    THE    BEACH.  73 

sure,  there  was  a  good  deal  of  difference  in  the  two 
cases,  but  Rectus  was  n't  in  the  habit  of  turning  up 
every  question  to  look  at  the  bottom  of  it. 

The  North  Beach  is  the  seaward  side  of  one  of  the 
islands  that  enclose  the  harbor,  or  the  Matanzas  River, 
as  it  is  called.  We  landed  on  the  inland  side,  and 
then  walked  over  to  the  beach,  which  is  very  wide 
and  smooth.  Here  we  set  to  work  to  fish.  Old 
Menendez  baited  our  lines,  and  told  us  what  to  do. 
It  was  new  sport  to  us. 

First,  we  took  off  our  shoes  and  stockings,  and 
rolled  up  our  trousers,  so  as  to  wade  out  in  the  shal 
low  water.  We  each  had  a  long  line,  one  end  of  which 
we  tied  around  our  waists.  Menendez  had  his  tied  to 
a  button-hole  of  his  coat,  but  he  thought  he  had  bet 
ter  make  our  lines  very  safe,  as  they  belonged  to  him. 
There  was  a  big  hook  and  a  heavy  lead  to  the  other 
end  of  the  line,  with  a  piece  of  fish  for  bait,  and  we 
swung  the  lead  around  our  heads,  and  threw  it  out 
into  the  surf  as  far  as  we  could.  I  thought  I  was 
pretty  good  on  the  throw,  but  I  could  n't  begin  to 
send  my  line  out  as  far  as  Menendez  threw  his.  As 
for  Rectus,  he  did  n't  pretend  to  do  much  in  the  throw 
ing  business.  He  whirled  his  line  around  in  such  a 
curious  way  that  I  was  very  much  afraid  he  would 
hook  himself  in  the  ear.  But  Menendez  put  his  line 
out  for  him.  He  did  n't  want  me  to  do  it. 

Then  we  stood  there  in  the  sand,  with  the  water 
nearly  up  to  our  knees  every  time  the  waves  came  in, 
and  waited  for  a  bite.  There  was  n't  much  biting. 
Menendez  said  that  the  tide  was  too  low,  but  I  've 


74  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

noticed  that  something  is  always  too  something,  every 
time  any  one  takes  me  out  fishing,  so  I  did  n't  mind 
that. 

Menendez  did  hook  one  fellow,  I  think,  for  he  gave 
a  tremendous  jerk  at  his  line,  and  began  to  skip  in 
shore  as  if  he  were  but  ten  years  old ;  but  it  was  of 
no  use.  The  fish  changed  his  mind. 

Then  we  stood  and  waited  a  while  longer,  until,  all 
of  a  sudden,  Rectus  made  a  skip.  But  he  went  the 
wrong  way.  Instead  of  skipping  out  of  the  water,  he 
skipped  in.  He  went  in  so  far  that  he  got  his  trousers 
dripping  wet. 

"  Hello  !  "  I  shouted.     "  What 's  up  ?  " 

He  did  n't  say  anything,  but  began  to  pull  back,  and 
dig  his  heels  into  the  sand.  Old  Menendez  and  I  saw, 
at  the  same  moment,  what  was  the  matter,  and  we 
made  a  rush  for  him.  I  was  nearest,  and  got  there 
first.  I  seized  Rectus  by  the  shoulder,  and  pulled  him 
back  a  little. 

"  Whew-w  !  "  said  he  ;   "  how  this  twine  cuts  !  " 

Then  I  took  hold  of  the  line  in  front  of  him,  and 
there  was  no  mistaking  the  fact — he  had  a  big  fish 
on  the  other  end  of  it. 

"  Run  out ! "  cried  Menendez,  who  thought  there 
was  no  good  of  three  fellows  hauling  on  the  line ;  and 
out  we  ran. 

When  we  had  gone  up  the  beach  a  good  way,  I 
looked  back  and  saw  a  rousing  big  fish  flopping  about 
furiously  in  the  shallow  water. 

"  Go  on  !  "  shouted  Menendez  ;  and  we  ran  on  until 
we  had  pulled  it  high  and  dry  up  on  the  sand. 


THE    GIRL    ON    THE    BEACH.  75 

Then  Menendez  fell  afoul  of  it  to  take  out  the  hook, 
and  we  hurried  back  to  see  it.  It  was  a  whopping 
big  bass,  and  by  the  powerful  way  it  threw  itself 
around  on  the  sand,  I  did  n't  wonder  that  Rectus 
ran  into  the  water  when  he  got  the  first  jerk. 

Now,  this  was  something  like  sport,  and  we  all  felt 
encouraged,  and  went  to  work  again  with  a  will,  only 
Menendez  untied  the  line  from  Rectus's  waist  and 
fastened  it  to  his  button-hole. 

"  It  may  pull  out,"  he  said  ;  "  but,  on  the  whole, 
it 's  better  to  lose  a  fishin'-line  than  a  boy." 

We  fished  quietly  and  steadily  for  some  time,  but 
got  no  more  bites,  when  suddenly  I  heard  some  one 
say,  behind  me : 

"  They  don't  ever  pull  in  !  " 

I  turned  around,  and  it  v/as  a  girl.  She  was  stand 
ing  there  with  a  gentleman, —  her  father,  I  soon  found 
out, —  and  I  don't  know  how  long  they  had  been 
watching  us.  She  was  about  thirteen  years  old,  and 
came  over  with  her  father  in  a  sail-boat.  I  remem 
bered  seeing  them  cruising  around  as  we  were  sailing 
over. 

"  They  have  n't  got  bites,"  said  her  father  ;  "  that 's 
the  reason  they  don't  pull  in." 

It  was  very  disagreeable  to  me,  and  I  know  it  was 
even  more  so  to  Rectus,  to  stand  here  and  have  those 
strangers  watch  us  fishing.  If  we  had  not  been  bare 
footed  and  bare-legged,  we  should  not  have  minded  it 
so  much.  As  for  the  old  Minorcan,  I  don't  suppose 
he  cared  at  all.  I  began  to  think  it  was  time  to  stop. 

"As  the  tide  's  getting  lower  and  lower,"  I  said  to 


76  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

Menendez,  "  I  suppose  our  chances  are  getting  les« 
and  less." 

"Yes,"  said  he;  "I  reckon  we'd  better  shut  up 
shop  before  long." 

"  Oh  !  "  cried  out  the  girl,  "just  look  at  that  fish  ! 
Father  !  Father  !  Just  look  at  it.  Did  any  of  you 
catch  it  ?  I  did  n't  see  it  till  this  minute.  I  thought 
you  had  n't  caught  any.  If  I  only  had  a  fishing-line 
now,  I  would  like  to  catch  just  one  fish.  Oh,  father  ! 
why  did  n't  you  bring  a  fishing-line  ?  " 

"  I  did  n't  think  of  it,  my  dear,"  said  he.  "Indeed, 
I  did  n't  know  there  were  any  fish  here." 

Old  Menendez  turned  around  and  grinned  at  this, 
and  I  thought  there  was  a  good  chance  to  stop  fish 
ing;  so  I  offered  to  let  the  girl  try  my  line  for  a 
while,  if  she  wanted  to. 

It  was  certain  enough  that  she  wanted  to,  for  she 
was  going  to  run  right  into  the  water  to  get  it.  But 
I  came  out,  and  as  her  father  said  she  might  fish  if 
she  did  n't  have  to  walk  into  the  water,  old  Menendez 
took  a  spare  piece  of  line  from  his  pocket  and  tied 
it  on  to  the  end  of  mine,  and  he  put  on  some  fresh  bait 
and  gave  it  a  tremendous  send  out  into  the  surf.  Then 
he  put  the  other  end  around  the  girl  and  tied  it.  I 
suppose  he  thought  that  it  did  n't  matter  if  a  girl 
should  be  lost,  but  he  may  have  considered  that  her 
father  was  there  to  seize  her  if  she  got  jerked  in. 

She  took  hold  of  the  line  and  stood  on  the  edge  of 
the  dry  sand,  ready  to  pull  in  the  biggest  kind  of  a 
fish  that  might  come  along.  I  put  on  my  shoes  and 
stockings,  and  Rectus  his  ;  he  'd  had  enough  glory 


THE    GIRL    ON    THE    BEACH.  77 

for  one  day.  Old  Menendez  wound  up  his  line,  too, 
but  that  girl  saw  nothing  of  all  this.  She  just  kept 
her  eyes  and  her  whole  mind  centred  on  her  line.  At 
first,  she  talked  right  straight  ahead,  asking  what  she 
should  do  when  it  bit ;  how  big  we  thought  it  would 
be ;  why  we  did  n't  have  a  cork,  and  fifty  other 
things,  but  all  without  turning  her  head  to  the  right 
or  the  left.  Then  said  her  father : 

"  My  dear,  you  must  n't  talk ;  you  will  frighten  the 
fish.  When  persons  fish,  they  always  keep  perfectly 
quiet.  You  never  heard  me  talking  while  I  was  fish 
ing.  I  fish  a  good  deal  when  I  am  at  home,"  said  he, 
turning  to  us,  "and  I  always  remain  perfectly  quiet." 

Menendez  laughed  a  little  at  this,  and  said  that  he 
did  n't  believe  the  fish  out  there  in  the  surf  would 
mind  a  little  quiet  chat ;  but  the  gentleman  said  that 
he  had  always  found  it  best  to  be  just  as  still  as 
possible.  The  girl  now  shut  her  mouth  tight,  and  held 
herself  more  ready,  if  possible,  than  ever,  and  I  believe 
that  if  she  had  got  a  bite  she  would  have  jerked  the 
fish's  head  off.  We  all  stood  around  her,  and  her  father 
watched  her  as  earnestly  as  if  she  was  about  to 
graduate  at  a  normal  school. 

We  stood  and  waited  and  waited,  and  she  didn't 
move,  and  neither  did  the  line.  Menendez  now  said 
he  thought  she  might  as  well  give  it  up.  The  tide  was 
too  low,  and  it  was  pretty  near  dinner-time,  and, 
besides  this,  there  was  a  shower  coming  on. 

"  Oh,  no  !  "  said  she;  "  not  just  yet.  I  feel  sure  I  '11 
get  a  bite  in  a  minute  or  two  now.  Just  wait  a  little 
longer." 


78  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

And  so  it  went  on,  every  few  minutes,  until  we  had 
waited  about  half  an  hour,  and  then  Menendez  said 
he  must  go,  but  if  the  gentleman  wanted  to  buy  the 
line,  and  stay  there  until  the  tide  came  in  again,  he  'd 
sell  it  to  him.  At  this,  the  girl's  father  told  her  that 
she  must  stop,  and  so  she  very  dolefully  let  Menendez 
untie  the  line. 

"  It 's  too  bad  !  "  she  said,  almost  with  tears  in  her 
eyes.  "If  they  had  only  waited  a  few  minutes 
longer !  "  And  then  she  ran  up  to  Rectus  and  me, 
and  said : 

"  When  are  you  coming  out  here  again  ?  Do  you 
think  you  will  come  to-morrow,  or  next  day?  " 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  I.  "  We  have  n't  settled  our 
plans  for  to-morrow." 

"  Oh,  father  !  father!  "  she  cried,  " perhaps  they  will 
come  out  here  to-morrow,  and  you  must  get  me  a 
fishing-line,  and  we  will  come  and  fish  all  day." 

We  did  n't  stay  to  hear  what  her  father  said,  but 
posted  off  to  our  boat,  for  we  were  all  beginning  to 
feel  pretty  hungry.  We  took  Rectus's  fish  along,  to 
give  to  our  landlady.  The  gentleman  and  the  girl 
came  close  after  us,  as  if  they  were  afraid  to  be  left 
alone  on  the  island.  Their  boat  was  hauled  up  near 
ours,  and  we  set  off  at  pretty  much  the  same  time. 

We  went  ahead  a  little,  and  Menendez  turned 
around  and  called  out  to  the  gentleman  that  he  'd 
better  follow  us,  for  there  were  some  bad  shoals  in  this 
part  of  the  harbor,  and  the  tide  was  pretty  low. 

"All  right,  my  hearty!"  called  out  the  gentleman. 
"  This  is  n't  the  first  time  I  've  sailed  in  this  harbor.  I 


THE    GIRL    ON    THE    BEACH.  79 

guess  I  know  where  the  shoals  are,"  and  just  at  that 
minute  he  ran  his  boat  hard  and  fast  on  one  of  them. 

He  jumped  up,  and  took  an  oar  and  pushed  and 
pushed  :  but  it  was  of  no  good — he  was  stuck  fast 
By  this  time  we  had  left  him  pretty  far  behind  ;  but 
we  all  had  been  watching,  and  Rectus  asked  if  we 
could  n't  go  back  and  help  him. 

"  Well,  I  s'pose  so,"  said  Menendez  ;  "  but  it 's  a 
shame  to  keep  three  decent  people  out  of  their  dinner 
for  the  sake  of  a  man  like  that,,  who  has  n't  got 
sense  enough  to  take  good  advice  when  it's  give 
to  him." 

"We'd  better  go,"  said  I,  and  Menendez,  in  no 
good  humor,  put  his  boat  about.  We  found  the  other 
boat  aground,  in  the  very  worst  way.  The  old  Minor- 
can  said  that  he  could  see  that  sand-bar  through  the 
water,  and  that  they  might  as  well  have  run  up  on 
dry  land.  Better,  for  that  matter,  because  then  we 
could  have  pushed  her  off. 

"  There  aint  nuthin*  to  be  done,"  he  said,  after  we 
had  worked  at  the  thing  for  a  while,  "but  to  jist  wait 
here  till  the  tide  turns.  It  's  pretty  near  dead  low 
now,  an'  you  '11  float  off  in  an  hour  or  two." 

This  was  cold  comfort  for  the  gentleman,  especially 
as  it  was  beginning  to  rain  ;  but  he  did  n't  seem  a  bit 
cast  down.  He  laughed,  and  said  : 

"  Well,  I  suppose  it  can't  be  helped  :  but  I  am  used 
to  being  out  in  all  weathers.  I  can  wait,  just  as  well 
as  not.  But  I  don't  want  my  daughter  here  to  get 
wet,  and  she  has  no  umbrella.  Would  you  mind 
taking  her  on  your  boat?  When  you  get  to  the  town, 


80 


A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 


she  ^an  run  up  to  our  hotel  by  herself.     She  knows 
the  vay." 

Cf  course  we  had  no  objection  to  this,  and  the  girl 
was  helped  aboard.  Then  we  sailed  off,  and  the  gen 
tleman  waved  his  hat  to  us.  If  I  had  been  in  his 


"THE  GENTLEMAN  WAVED  HIS  HAT  TO  us." 

place,    I    don't   think    I   should   have  felt   much  like 
waving  my  hat. 

Menendez  now  said  that  he  had   an   oil-skin   coat 
stowed  away  forward,  and  I  got  it  and  put  it  around 


THE    GIRL    ON    THE   BEACH.  81 

the  girl.     She    snuggled  herself  up  in  it  as  comfort 
ably  as  she  could,  and  began  to  talk. 

"  The  way  of  it  was  this,"  she  said.  "  Father,  he 
said  we  'd  go  out  sailing,  and  mother  and  I  went  with 
him,  and  when  we  got  down  to  the  wharf,  there  were 
a  lot  of  boats,  but  they  all  had  men  to  them,  and 
so  father,  he  said  he  wanted  to  sail  the  boat  himself, 
and  mother,  she  said  that  if  he  did  she  would  n't  go  ; 
but  he  said  pooh  !  he  could  do  it  as  well  as  anybody, 
and  was  n't  going  to  have  any  man.  So  he  got  a  boat 
without  a  man,  and  mother,  she  did  n't  want  me 
to  go  ;  but  I  went,  and  he  stuck  fast  coming  back, 
because  he  never  will  listen  to  anything  anybody  tells 
him,  as  mother  and  I  found  out  long  ago.  And  here 
we  are,  almost  at  the  wharf!  I  did  n't  think  we  were 
anywhere  near  it." 

"Well,  you  see,  sis,  sich  a  steady  gale  o'  talkin', 
right  behind  the  sail,  is  bound  to  hurry  the  boat 
along.  And  now,  s'pose  you  tell  us  your  name,"  said 
Menendez. 

"  My  name  's  Cornelia ;  but  father,  he  calls  me 
Corny,  which  mother  hates  to  hear  the  very  sound 
of,"  said  she  ;  "  and  the  rest  of  it  is  Mary  Chipperton. 
Father,  he  came  down  here  because  he  had  a  weak 
lung,  and  I  'm  sure  I  don't  see  what  good  it  's  going 
to  do  him  to  sit  out  there  in  the  rain.  We  '11  take  a 
man  next  time.  And  father  and  I  '11  be  sure  to  be 
here  early  to-morrow  to  go  out  fishing  with  you. 
Good-bye !  " 

And  with  this,  having  mounted   the  steps   to  the 
pier,  off  ran  Miss  Corny. 
4* 


82  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  I  would  n't  like  to  be  the  ole  man  o'  that  family," 
said  Mr.  Menendez. 

That  night,  after  we  had  gone  to  bed,  Rectus  began 
to  talk.  We  generally  went  to  sleep  in  pretty  short 
order  ;  but  the  moon  did  not  shine  in  our  windows 
now  until  quite  late,  and  so  we  noticed  for  the  first 
time  the  curious  way  in  which  the  light-house  — 
which  stood  almost  opposite  on  Anastasia  Island — 
brightened  up  the  room,  every  minute  or  two.  It  is  a 
revolving  light,  and  when  the  light  got  on  the  landward 
side  it  gave  us  a  flash,  which  produced  a  very  queer 
effect  on  the  furniture,  and  on  Rectus's  broad  hat, 
which  hung  on  the  wall  right  opposite  the  window.  It 
seemed  exactly  as  if  this  hat  was  a  sort  of  portable  sun 
of  a  very  mild  power,  which  warmed  up,  every  now 
and  then,  and  lighted  the  room. 

But  Rectus  did  not  talk  long  about  this. 

"  I  think,"  said  he,  "that  we  have  had  about  enough 
of  St.  Augustine.  There  are  too  many  Indians  and 
girls  here." 

"And  sea-beans,  too,  perhaps,"  said  I.  "But  I 
don't  think  there  's  any  reason  for  going  so  soon. 
I  'm  going  to  settle  those  Indians,  and  you  Ve  only 
seen  one  girl,  and  perhaps  we  '11  never  see  her  again." 

"  Don't  you  believe  that,"  said  Rectus,  very  sol 
emnly,  and  he  turned  over,  either  to  ponder  on  the 
matter,  or  to  go  to  sleep.  His  remarks  made  me 
imagine  that  perhaps  he  was  one  of  those  fellows  who 
soon  get  tired  of  a  place  and  want  to  be  moving 
on.  But  that  was  n't  my  way,  and  I  did  n't  intend  to 
let  him  hurry  me.  I  think  the  Indians  worried  him  a 


THE    GIRL    ON    THE    BEACH.  83 

good  deal.  He  was  afraid  they  would  keep  on  troub 
ling  us.  But,  as  I  had  said,  I  had  made  up  my  mind 
to  settle  the  Indians.  As  for  Corny,  I  know  he  hated 
her.  I  don't  believe  he  spoke  a  word  to  her  all  the 
time  we  were  with  her. 

The  next  morning,  we  talked  over  the  Indian  ques 
tion,  and  then  went  down  to  the  fort  We  had  n't 
been  there  for  three  or  four  days,  but  now  we  had 
decided  not  to  stand  nagging  by  a  couple  of  red- 
skinned  savages,  but  to  go  and  see  the  captain  and  tell 
him  all  about  it.  All  except  the  proclamation — Rectus 
would  n't  agree  to  have  that  brought  in  at  all.  Mr. 
Cholott  had  introduced  us  to  the  captain,  and  he 
was  a  first-rate  fellow,  and  when  we  told  him  how 
we  had  stormed  his  old  fort,  he  laughed  and  said  he 
wondered  we  did  n't  break  our  necks,  and  that  the 
next  time  we  did  it  he  'd  put  us  in  the  guard-house, 
sure. 

"That  would  be  cheaper  for  you  than  buying  so 
many  beans,"  he  said. 

As  to  the  two  Indians,  he  told  us  he  would  see  to  it 
that  they  let  us  alone.  He  did  n't  think  that  Maiden's 
Heart  would  ever  harm  us,  for  he  was  more  of  a 
blower  than  anything  else ;  but  he  said  that  Crowded 
Owl  was  really  one  of  the  worst-tempered  Indians  in 
the  fort,  and  he  advised  us  to  have  nothing  more  to 
do  with  him,  in  any  way. 

All  of  this  was  very  good  of  the  captain,  and  we 
were  very  glad  we  had  gone  to  see  him. 

"  I  tell  you  what  it  is,"  said  Rectus,  as  we  were 
coming  away,  "  I  don't  believe  that  any  of  these 


84  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

Indians  are  as  innocent  as  they  try  to  make  out.  Did 
you  ever  see  such  a  rascally  set  of  faces  ?  " 

Somehow  or  other,  I  seldom  felt  sorry  when  Rectus 
changed  his  mind.  I  thought,  indeed,  that  he  ought 
to  change  it  as  much  as  he  could.  And  yet,  as  I  have 
said,  he  was  a  thoroughly  good  fellow.  The  trouble 
with  him  was  that  he  was  n't  used  to  making  up  his 
mind  about  things,  and  did  n't  make  a  very  good 
beginning  at  it. 

The  next  day,  we  set  out  to  explore  Anastasia 
Island,  right  opposite  the  town.  It  is  a  big  island, 
but  we  took  our  lunch  and  determined  to  do  what  we 
could.  We  hired  a  boat  and  rowed  over  to  the  mouth 
of  a  creek  in  the  island.  We  went  up  this  creek  quite 
a  long  way,  and  landed  at  a  little  pier,  where  we  made 
the  boat  fast.  The  man  who  owned  the  boat  told  us 
just  how  to  go.  We  first  made  a  flying  call  at  the 
coquina  quarries,  where  they  dig  the  curious  stuff 
of  which  the  town  is  built.  This  is  formed  of  small 
shells,  all  conglomerated  into  one  solid  mass  that 
becomes  as  hard  as  stone  after  it  is  exposed  to  the  air. 
It  must  have  taken  thousands  of  years  for  so  many 
little  shell-fish  to  pile  themselves  up  into  a  quarrying- 
ground.  We  now  went  over  to  the  light-house,  and 
climbed  to  the  top  of  it,  where  we  had  a  view  that 
made  Rectus  feel  even  better  than  he  felt  in  the  ceme 
tery  at  Savannah. 

When  we  came  down,  we  started  for  the  beach  and 
stopped  a  little  while  at  the  old  Spanish  light-house, 
which  looked  more  like  a  cracker-bakery  than  anything 
else,  but  I  suppose  it  was  good  enough  for  all  the 


THE    GIRL    ON    THE    BEACH.  85 

ships  the  Spaniards  had  to  light  up.  We  would  have 
cared  more  for  the  old  light-house  if  it  had  not  had  an 
inscription  on  it  that  said  it  had  been  destroyed,  and 
rebuilt  by  some  American.  After  that,  we  considered 
it  merely  in  the  light  of  a  chromo. 

We  had  a  good  time  on  the  island,  and  stayed 
nearly  all  day.  Toward  the  end  of  the  afternoon,  we 
started  back  for  the  creek  and  our  boat.  We  had  a 
long  walk,  for  we  had  been  exploring  the  island  pretty 
well,  and  when,  at  last,  we  reached  the  creek,  we  saw 
that  our  boat  was  gone  ! 

This  was  astounding.  We  could  not  make  out  how 
the  thing  could  have  happened.  The  boatman,  from 
whom  we  had  hired  it,  had  said  that  it  would  be 
perfectly  safe  for  us  to  leave  the  boat  at  the  landing  if 
we  tied  her  up  well  and  hid  the  oars.  I  had  tied  her 
up  very  well  and  we  had  hidden  the  oars  so  carefully, 
under  some  bushes,  that  we  found  them  there  when 
we  went  to  look  for  them. 

"Could  the  old  thing  have  floated  off  of  itself?" 
said  Rectus. 

"  That  could  n't  have  happened,"  I  said.  "  I  tied 
her  hard  and  fast." 

"  But  how  could  any  one  have  taken  her  away 
without  oars  ?  "  asked  Rectus. 

"Rectus,"  said  I,  "don't  let  us  have  any  more 
riddles.  Some  one  may  have  cut  a  pole  and  poled 
her  away,  up  or  down  the  creek,  or " 

"  I  '11  tell  you,"  interrupted  Rectus.  "  Crowded  Owl! " 

I  did  n't  feel  much  like  laughing,  but  I  did  laugh  a 
little. 


86  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"Yes,"  I  said.  "He  probably  swam  over  with  a 
pair  of  oars  on  purpose  to  steal  our  boat.  But, 
whether  he  did  it  or  not,  it 's  very  certain  that  some 
body  has  taken  the  boat,  and  there  is  n't  any  way, 
that  I  see,  of  getting  off  this  place  to-night.  There  '11 
be  nobody  going  over  so  late  in  the  afternoon — except, 
to  be  sure,  those  men  we  saw  at  the  other  end  of  the 
island  with  a  flat-boat." 

"  But  that  's  away  over  at  the  upper  end  of  the 
island,"  said  Rectus. 

"  That  's  not  so  very  far,"  said  I.  "  I  wonder  if 
they  have  gone  back  yet  ?  If  one  of  us  could  run 
over  there  and  ask  them  to  send  a  boatman  from  the 
town  after  us,  we  might  get  back  by  supper-time." 

"  Why  not  both  of  us  ?  "  asked  Rectus. 

"  One  of  us  should  stay  here  to  see  if  our  boat  does 
come  back.  It  must  have  been  some  one  from  the 
island  who  took  it,  because  any  one  from  the  main 
land  would  have  brought  his  own  boat" 

"  Very  well,"  said  Rectus.  "  Let  's  toss  up  to  see 
who  goes.  The  winner  stays." 

I  pitched  up  a  cent. 

"  Heads,"  said  Rectus. 

"  Tails,"  said  I. 

Tails  it  was,  and  Rectus  started  off  like  a  good 
fellow. 

I  sat  down  and  waited.  I  waited  a  long,  long  time, 
and  then  I  got  up  and  walked  up  and  down.  In  about 
an  hour  I  began  to  get  anxious.  It  was  more  than 
time  for  Rectus  to  return.  The  walk  to  the  end  of  the 
island  and  back  was  not  much  over  a  mile — at  least, 


THE    GIRL    ON    THE    BEACH.  87 

I  supposed  it  was  not.  Could  anything  have  hap 
pened  to  the  boy  ?  It  was  not  yet  sunset,  and  I 
could  n't  imagine  what  there  was  to  happen. 

After  waiting  about  half  an  hour  longer,  I  heard 
a  distant  sound  of  oars.  I  ran  to  the  landing  and 
looked  down  the  creek.  A  boat  with  a  man  in  it  was 
approaching.  When  it  came  nearer,  I  saw  plainly  that 
it  was  our  boat.  When  it  had  almost  reached  the 
landing,  the  man  turned  around,  and  I  was  very  much 
surprised,  indeed,  to  see  that  he  was  Mr.  Chipperton. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


MR.   CHIPPERTON. 


"WHY,  HOW  DO  YOU  DO?" 


I 


TOOK  hold  of  the  boat,  and  pulled  the  bow  up  on 
the  beach.     Mr.  Chipperton  looked  around  at  me. 
"  Why,  how  do  you  do  ?"  said  he. 
For  an  instant  I  could   not  answer  him,  I  was  so 


angry,  and  then  I  said  : 

"  What  did  you  - 
our  boat  away  ?" 


?     How  did  you  come  to  take 


MR.    CHIPPERTON.  89 

"  Your  boat ! "  he  exclaimed.  "  Is  this  your  boat  ? 
I  did  n't  know  that  But  where  is  my  boat  ?  Did 
you  see  a  sail-boat  leave  here  ?  It  is  very  strange  — 
remarkably  strange  !  I  don't  know  what  to  make  of 
it." 

"  I  know  nothing  about  a  sail-boat,"  said  I.  "  If 
we  had  seen  one  leave  here,  we  should  have  gone 
home  in  her.  Why  did  you  take  our  boat  ?" 

Mr.  Chipperton  had  now  landed. 

"  I  came  over  here,"  he  said,  "  with  my  wife  and 
daughter.  We  were  in  a  sail-boat,  with  a  man  to 
manage  it.  My  wife  would  not  come  otherwise.  We 
came  to  see  the  light- house,  but  I  do  not  care  for 
light-houses, —  I  have  seen  a  great  many  of  them.  I 
am  passionately  fond  of  the  water.  Seeing  a  small 
boat  here  which  no  one  was  using,  I  let  the  man  con 
duct  my  wife  and  Corny  —  my  daughter — up  to  the 
light-house,  while  I  took  a  little  row.  I  know  the 
man.  He  is  very  trustworthy.  He  would  let  no 
harm  come  to  them.  There  was  a  pair  of  oars  in  the 
sail-boat,  and  I  took  them,  and  rowed  down  the 
creek,  and  then  went  along  the  river,  below  the  town ; 
and,  I  assure  you,  sir,  I  went  a  great  deal  farther  than 
I  intended,  for  the  tide  was  with  me.  But  it  was  n't 
with  me  coming  back,  of  course,  and  I  had  a  very 
hard  time  of  it.  I  thought  I  never  should  get  back. 
This  boat  of  yours,  sir,  seems  to  be  an  uncommonly 
hard  boat  to  row." 

"  Against  a  strong  tide,  I  suppose  it  is,"  said  I ; 
"  but  I  wish  you  had  n't  taken  it.  Here  I  have  been 
waiting  ever  so  long,  and  my  friend " 


90  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"Oh!  I  'm  sorry,  too,"  interrupted  Mr.  Chipperton, 
who  had  been  looking  about,  as  if  he  expected  to  see 
his  sail-boat  somewhere  under  the  trees.  "  I  can't 
imagine  what  could  have  become  of  my  boat,  my 
wife,  and  my  child.  If  I  had  staid  here,  they  could 
not  have  sailed  away  without  my  knowing  it.  It 
would  even  have  been  better  to  go  with  them, 
although,  as  I  said  before,  I  don't  care  for  light 
houses." 

"  Well,"  said  I,  not  quite  as  civilly  as  I  generally 
speak  to  people  older  than  myself,  "  your  boat  has 
gone,  that  is  plain  enough.  I  suppose,  when  your 
family  came  from  the  light-house,  they  thought  you 
had  gone  home,  and  so  went  themselves." 

"  That 's  very  likely,"  said  he,  —  "  very  likely  indeed. 
Or,  it  may  be  that  Corny  would  n't  wait.  She  is  not 
good  at  waiting.  She  persuaded  her  mother  to  sail 
away,  no  doubt.  But  now  I  suppose  you  will  take 
me  home  in  your  boat,  and  the  sooner  we  get  off  the 
better,  for  it  is  growing  late." 

"You  need  n't  be  in  a  hurry,"  said  I,  "for  I  am 
not  going  off  until  my  friend  comes  back.  You  gave 
him  a  good  long  walk  to  the  other  end  of  the  island." 

"  Indeed  !  "  said  Mr.  Chipperton.  "  How  was 
that  ?  " 

Then  I  told  him  all  about  it. 

"  Do  you  think  that  the  flat-boat  is  likely  to  be 
there  yet?"  he  asked. 

"  It 's  gone,  long  ago,"  said  I ;  "  and  I  'm  afraid  Rec- 
tus  has  lost  his  way,  either  going  there  or  coming 
back." 


MR.     CHIPPERTON.  91 

I  said  this  as  much  to  myself  as  to  my  companion, 
for  I  had  walked  back  a  little  to  look  up  the  path.  I 
could  not  see  far,  for  it  was  growing  dark.  I  was 
terribly  worried  about  Rectus,  and  would  have  gone 
to  look  for  him,  but  I  was  afraid  that  if  I  left  Mr. 
Chipperton  he  would  go  off  with  the  boat. 

Directly  Mr.  Chipperton  set  up  a  yell. 

"  Hi !  hi !  hi !  "  he  cried. 

I  ran  down  to  the  pier,  and  saw  a  row-boat  ap 
proaching. 

"  Hi !  "  cried  Mr.  Chipperton.  "  Come  this  way  ! 
Come  here  !  Boat  ahoy  !  " 

"  We  're  coming !  "  shouted  a  man  from  the  boat. 
"Ye  need  n't  holler  for  us." 

And  in  a  few  more  strokes  the  boat  touched  land. 
There  were  two  men  in  it. 

"  Did  you  come  for  me  ? "  cried    Mr.   Chipperton. 

"  No,"  said  the  man  who  had  spoken.  "  We  came 
for  this  other  party,  but  I  reckon  you  can  come  along." 

"  For  me  ?  "  said  I.     "  Who  sent  you  ?" 

"  Your  pardner,"  said  the  man.  "  He  came  over  in 
a  flat-boat,  and  he  said  you  was  stuck  here,  for  some 
body  had  stole  your  boat,  and  so  he  sent  us  for  you." 

"  And  he  's  over  there,  is  he  ?"  said  I. 

"  Yes,  he 's  all  right,  eatin'  his  supper,  I  reckon. 
But  is  n't  this  here  your  boat?" 

"  Yes,  it  is,"  I  said,  "  and  I  'm  going  home  in  it 
You  can  take  the  other  man." 

And,  without  saying  another  word,  I  picked  up  my 
oars,  which  I  had  brought  from  the  bushes,  jumped 
into  my  boat,  and  pushed  off. 


92  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  I  reckon  you  're  a  little  riled,  aint  ye  ?  "  said  the 
man ;  but  I  made  him  no  answer,  and  left  him  to 
explain  to  Mr.  Chipperton  his  remark  about  stealing 
the  boat.  They  set  off  soon  after  me,  and  we  had  a 
race  down  the  creek.  I  was  "  a  little  riled,"  and  I 
pulled  so  hard  that  the  other  boat  did  not  catch  up  to 
me  until  we  got  out  into  the  river.  Then  it  passed 
me,  but  it  did  n't  get  to  town  much  before  I  did. 

The  first  person  I  met  on  the  pier  was  Rectus. 
He  had  had  his  supper,  and  had  come  down  to  watch 
for  me.  I  was  so  angry  that  I  would  not  speak  to 
him.  He  kept  by  my  side,  though,  as  I  walked  up  to 
the  house,  excusing  himself  for  going  off  and  leaving 
me. 

"  You  see,  it  was  n't  any  use  for  me  to  take  that 
long  walk  back  there  to  the  creek.  I  told  the  men  of 
the  fix  we  were  in,  and  they  said  they  'd  send  some 
body  for  us,  but  they  thought  I  'd  better  come  along 
with  them,  as  I  was  there." 

I  had  a  great  mind  to  say  something  here,  but  I 
did  n't. 

"  It  would  n't  have  done  you  any  good  for  me  to 
come  back  through  the  woods  in  the  dark.  The 
boat  would  n't  get  over  to  you  any  faster.  You  see, 
if  there  'd  been  any  good  at  all  in  it,  I  would  have 
come  back  —  but  there  was  n't." 

All  this  might  have  been  very  true,  but  I  remem 
bered  how  I  had  sat  and  walked  and  thought  and 
worried  about  Rectus,  and  his  explanation  did  me  no 
good. 

When  I  reached  the  house,  I  found  that  our  land- 


MR.    CHIPPERTON.  93 

lady,  who  was  one  of  the  very  best  women  in  all 
Florida,  had  saved  me  a  splendid  supper — hot  and 
smoking.  I  was  hungry  enough,  and  I  enjoyed  this 
meal  until  there  did  n't  seem  to  be  a  thing  left.  I  felt 
in  a  better  humor  then,  and  I  hunted  up  Rectus,  and 
we  talked  along  as  if  nothing  had  happened.  It 
was  n't  easy  to  keep  mad  with  Rectus,  because  he 
did  n't  get  mad  himself.  And,  besides,  he  had  a  good 
deal  of  reason  on  his  side. 

It  was  a  lovely  evening,  and  pretty  nearly  all  the 
people  of  the  town  were  out-of-doors.  Rectus  and  I 
took  a  walk  around  the  "  Plaza," — a  public  square 
planted  thick  with  live-oak  and  pride-of-India  trees, 
and  with  a  monument  in  the  centre  with  a  Spanish 
inscription  on  it,  stating  how  the  king  of  Spain  once 
gave  a  very  satisfactory  charter  to  the  town.  Rectus 
and  I  agreed,  however,  that  we  would  rather  have  a 
pride-of-India  tree  than  a  charter,  as  far  as  we  were 
concerned.  These  trees  have  on  them  long  bunches 
of  blossoms,  which  smell  deliciously. 

"Now,  then,"  said  I,  "I  think  it's  about  time  for 
us  to  be  moving  along.  I  'm  beginning  to  feel  about 
that  Corny  family  as  you  do." 

"  Oh,  I  only  objected  to  the  girl,"  said  Rectus,  in 
an  off-hand  way. 

"  Well,  I  object  to  the  father,"  said  I.  "  I  think 
we  've  had  enough,  anyway,  of  fathers  and  daughters. 
I  hope  the  next  couple  we  fall  in  with  will  be  a  mother 
and  a  son." 

"What  's  the  next  place  on  the  bill?"  asked 
Rectus. 


94  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"Well,"  said  I,  "  we  ought  to  take  a  trip  up  the 
Oclawaha  River.  That  's  one  of  the  things  to  do.  It  will 
take  us  two  or  three  days,  and  we  can  leave  our  bag 
gage  here  and  come  back  again.  Then,  if  we  want  to 
stay,  we  can,  and  if  we  don't,  we  need  n't." 

"All  right,"  said  Rectus.  "  Let  's  be  off  to-mor 
row." 

The  next  morning,  I  went  to  buy  the  Oclawaha 
tickets,  while  Rectus  staid  home  to  pack  up  our  hand 
bags,  and,  I  believe,  to  sew  some  buttons  on  his 
clothes.  He  could  sew  buttons  on  so  strongly  that 
they  would  never  come  off  again  without  bringing 
the  piece  out  with  them. 

The  ticket-office  was  in  a  small  store,  where  you 
could  get  any  kind  of  alligator  or  sea-bean  combi 
nation  that  the  mind  could  dream  of.  We  had  been 
in  there  before  to  look  at  the  things.  I  found  I  was 
in  luck,  for  the  storekeeper  told  me  that  it  was  not 
often  that  people  could  get  berths  on  the  little 
Oclawaha  steam-boats  without  engaging  them  some 
days  ahead ;  but  he  had  a  couple  of  state-rooms  left, 
for  the  boat  that  left  Pilatka  the  next  day.  I  took 
one  room  as  quick  as  lightning,  and  I  had  just  paid 
for  the  tickets  when  Mr.  Chipperton  and  Corny 
walked  in. 

"How  d'  ye  do?"  said  he,  as  cheerfully  as  if  he  had 
never  gone  off  with  another  fellow's  boat.  "  Buying 
tickets  for  the  Oclawaha  ?  " 

I  had  to  say  yes,  and  then  he  wanted  to  know  when 
we  were  going.  I  was  n't  very  quick  to  answer ;  but 
the  storekeeper  said : 


MR.    CHIPPERTON.  95 

"  He  's  just  taken  the  last  room  but  one  in  the  boat 
that  leaves  Pilatka  to-morrow  morning." 

"And  when  do  you  leave  here  to  catch  that  boat?" 
said  Mr.  Chipperton. 

"This  afternoon, — and  stay  all  night  at  Pilatka." 

"  Oh,  father  !  father !  "  cried  Corny,  who  had  been 
standing  with  her  eyes  and  ears  wide  open,  all  this 
time,  "  let 's  go  !  let 's  go  !  " 

"  I  believe  I  will,"  said  Mr.  Chipperton, —  "I  believe 
I  will.  You  say  you  have  one  more  room.  All  right. 
I  '11  take  it.  This  will  be  very  pleasant,  indeed,"  said 
he,  turning  to  me.  "  It  will  be  quite  a  party.  It 's 
ever  so  much  better  to  go  to  such  places  in  a  party. 
We  Ve  been  thinking  of  going  for  some  time,  and  I  'm 
so  glad  I  happened  in  here  now.  Good-bye.  We  '11 
see  you  this  afternoon  at  the  depot." 

I  did  n't  say  anything  about  being  particularly  glad, 
but  just  as  I  left  the  door  Corny  ran  out  after  me. 

"  Do  you  think  it  would  be  any  good  to  take  a  fish 
ing-line  ?  "  she  cried. 

"  Guess  you  'd  better,"  I  shouted  back,  and  then  I 
ran  home,  laughing. 

"  Here  are  the  tickets!"  I  cried  out  to  Rectus,  "and 
we  've  got  to  be  at  the  station  by  four  o'clock  this 
afternoon.  There  's  no  backing  out  now." 

"Who  wants  to  back  out?"  said  Rectus,  looking  up 
from  his  trunk,  into  which  he  had  been  diving. 

"  Can't  say,"  I  answered.  "  But  I  know  one  per 
son  who  wont  back  out" 

"Who's  that?" 

"  Corny,"  said  I. 


96  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

Rectus  stood  up. 

"  Cor !  "  he  exclaimed. 

"Ny,"  said  I,  "  and  father  and  mother.  They 
took  the  only  room  left, — engaged  it  while  I  was 
there." 

"  Can't  we  sell  our  tickets  ?  "  asked  Rectus. 

"  Don't  know,"  said  I.  "  But  what  's  the  good  t 
Who  's  going  to  be  afraid  of  a  girl, — or  a  whole 
family,  for  that  matter?  We  're  in  for  it  now." 

Rectus  did  n't  say  anything,  but  his  expression 
saddened. 

We  had  studied  out  this  trip  the  night  before,  and 
knew  just  what  we  had  to  do.  We  first  went  from  St. 
Augustine,  on  the  sea-coast,  to  Tocoi,  on  the  St.  John's 
River,  by  a  railroad  fifteen  miles  long.  Then  we  took 
a  steam-boat  up  the  St.  John's  to  Pilatka,  and  the  next 
morning  left  for  the  Oclawaha,  which  runs  into  the  St. 
John's  about  twenty-five  miles  above,  on  the  other 
side  of  the  river. 

We  found  the  Corny  family  at  the  station,  all  right, 
and  Corny  immediately  informed  me  that  she  had  a 
fishing-line,  but  did  n't  bring  a  pole,  because  her 
father  said  he  could  cut  her  one,  if  it  was  needed. 
He  did  n't  know  whether  it  was  "  throw-out "  fishing 
or  not,  on  that  river. 

There  used  to  be  a  wooden  railroad  here,  and  the 
cars  were  pulled  by  mules.  It  was  probably  more  fun 
to  travel  that  way,  but  it  took  longer.  Now  they 
have  steel  rails  and  everything  that  a  regular  grown-up 
railroad  has.  We  knew  the  engineer,  for  Mr.  Cholott 
had  introduced  us  to  him  one  day,  on  the  club-house 


MR.    CHIPPERTON.  97 

wharf.  He  was  a  first-rate  fellow,  and  let  us  ride  on 
the  engine.  I  did  n't  believe,  at  first,  that  Rectus 
would  do  this ;  but  there  was  only  one  passenger  car, 
and  after  the  Corny  family  got  into  that,  he  did  n't 
hesitate  a  minute  about  the  engine. 

We  had  a  splendid  ride.  We  went  slashing  along 
through  the  woods  the  whole  way,  and  as  neither  of 
us  had  ever  ridden  on  an  engine  before,  we  made  the 
best  of  our  time.  We  found  out  what  every  crank 
and  handle  was  for,  and  kept  a  sharp  look-out  ahead, 
through  the  little  windows  in  the  cab.  If  we  had 
caught  an  alligator  on  the  cow-catcher,  the  thing 
would  have  been  complete.  The  engineer  said  there 
used  to  be  alligators  along  by  the  road,  in  the  swampy 
places,  but  he  guessed  the  engine  had  frightened  most 
of  them  away. 

The  trip  did  n't  take  forty  minutes,  so  we  had 
scarcely  time  to  learn  the  whole  art  of  engine-driving, 
but  we  were  very  glad  to  have  had  the  ride. 

We  found  the  steam-boat  waiting  for  us  at  Tocoi, 
which  is  such  a  little  place  that  I  don't  believe  either 
of  us  noticed  it,  as  we  hurried  aboard.  The  St.  John's 
is  a  splendid  river,  as  wide  as  a  young  lake ;  but  we 
did  not  have  much  time  to  see  it,  as  it  grew  dark 
pretty  soon,  and  the  supper-bell  rang. 

We  reached  Pilatka  pretty  early  in  the  evening, 
and  there  we  had  to  stay  all  night  Mr.  Chipperton 
told  me,  confidentially,  that  he  thought  this  whole 
arrangement  was  a  scheme  to  make  money  out  of 
travellers.  The  boat  we  were  in  ought  to  have  kept 
on  and  taken  us  up  the  Oclawaha;  "but,"  said  he, 


98  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  I  suppose  that  would  n't  suit  the  hotel-keepers.  I 
expect  they  divide  the  profits  with  the  boats." 

By  good  luck,  I  thought,  the  Corny  family  and 
ourselves  went  to  different  hotels  to  spend  the  night. 
When  I  congratulated  Rectus  on  this  fact,  he  only 
said  : 

"  It  don't  matter  for  one  night.  We  '11  catch  'em  all 
bad  enough  to-morrow." 

And  he  was  right.  When  we  went  down  to  the 
wharf  the  next  morning,  to  find  the  Oclawaha  boat, 
the  first  persons  we  saw  were  Mr.  Chipperton,  with 
his  wife  and  daughter.  They  were  standing,  gazing  at 
the  steam-boat  which  was  to  take  us  on  our  trip. 

"  Is  n't  this  a  funny  boat  ?  "  said  Corny,  as  soon  as 
she  saw  us.  It  was  a  very  funny  boat.  It  was  not 
much  longer  than  an  ordinary  tug,  and  quite  narrow, 
but  was  built  up  as  high  as  a  two-story  house,  and  the 
wheel  was  in  the  stern.  Rectus  compared  her  to  a 
river  wheelbarrow. 

Soon  after  we  were  on  board  she  started  off,  and 
then  we  had  a  good  chance  to  see  the  St.  John's. 
We  had  been  down  to  look  at  the  river  before,  for  we 
got  up  very  early  and  walked  about  the  town.  It  is  a 
pretty  sort  of  a  new  place,  with  wide  streets  and  some 
handsome  houses.  The  people  have  orange-groves  in 
their  gardens,  instead  of  potato-patches,  as  we  have 
up  north.  Before  we  started,  we  hired  a  rifle.  We 
had  been  told  that  there  was  plenty  of  game  on  the 
river,  and  that  most  gentlemen  who  took  the  trip  car 
ried  guns.  Rectus  wanted  to  get  two  rifles,  but  I 
thought  one  was  enough.  We  could  take  turns, 


MR.    CHIPPERTON.  99 

and  I  knew  I  'd  feel  safer  if  I  had  nothing  to  do  but 
to  keep  my  eye  on  Rectus  while  he  had  the  gun. 

There  were  not  many  passengers  on  board,  and, 
indeed,  there  was  not  room  for  more  than  twenty-five 
or  thirty.  Most  of  them  who  could  find  places  sat 
out  on  a  little  upper  deck,  in  front  of  the  main  cabin, 
which  was  in  the  top  story.  Mrs.  Chipperton,  how 
ever,  staid  in  the  saloon,  or  dining-room,  and  looked 
out  of  the  windows.  She  was  a  quiet  woman,  and 
had  an  air  as  if  she  had  to  act  as  shaft-horse  for  the 
team,  and  was  pretty  well  used  to  holding  back.  And 
I  reckon  she  had  a  good  deal  of  it  to  do. 

One  party  attracted  our  attention  as  soon  as  we 
went  aboard.  It  was  made  up  of  a  lady  and  two 
gentlemen-hunters.  The  lady  was  n't  a  hunter,  but 
she  was  dressed  in  a  suitable  costume  to  go  about 
with  fellows  who  had  on  hunting-clothes.  The  men 
wore  long  yellow  boots  that  came  ever  so  far  up  their 
legs,  and  they  had  on  all  the  belts  and  hunting-fixings 
that  the  law  allows.  The  lady  wore  yellow  gloves,  to 
match  the  men's  boots.  As  we  were  going  up  the  St. 
John's,  the  two  men  strode  about,  in  an  easy  kind  of 
a  way,  as  if  they  wanted  us  to  understand  that  this 
sort  of  thing  was  nothing  to  them.  They  were  used 
to  it,  and  could  wear  that  style  of  boots  every 
day  if  they  wanted  to.  Rectus  called  them  "  the 
yellow-legged  party,"  which  was  n't  a  bad  name. 

After  steaming  about  twenty-five  miles  up  the  St. 
John's  River,  we  went  in  close  to  the  western  shore, 
and  then  made  a  sharp  turn  into  a  narrow  opening 
between  the  tall  trees,  and  sailed  right  into  the  forest 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  STEAM-BOAT  IN  THE   FOREST. 

VI 7E  were  in  a  narrow  river,  where  the  tall  trees 
VV  met  overhead,  while  the  lower  branches  and 
the  smaller  trees  brushed  against  the  little  boat  as  it 
steamed  along.  This  was  the  Oclawaha  River,  and 
Rectus  and  I  thought  it  was  as  good  as  fairy-land. 
We  stood  on  the  bow  of  the  boat,  which  was  n't  two 
feet  above  the  water,  and  took  in  everything  there 
was  to  see. 

The  river  wound  around  in  among  the  great  trees, 
so  that  we  seldom  could  see  more  than  a  few  hundred 
yards  ahead,  and  every  turn  we  made  showed  us  some 
new  picture  of  green  trees  and  hanging  moss  and 
glimpses  into  the  heart  of  the  forest,  while  everything 
was  reflected  in  the  river,  which  was  as  quiet  as  a 
looking-glass. 

"Talk  of  theatres  !  "  said  Rectus. 

"  No,  don't/'  said  I. 

At  this  moment  we  both  gave  a  little  jump,  for  a 
gun  went  off  just  behind  us.  We  turned  around 

MO 


THE    STEAM-BOAT  IN  '-THE,  I 

quickly,  and  saw  that  the  tall  yellow-legs  had  just 
fired  at  a  big  bird.  He  did  n't  hit  it. 

"Hello!"  said  Rectus;  "we'd  better  get  our  gun. 
The  game  is  beginning  to  show  itself."  And  off  he 
ran  for  the  rifle. 

I  did  n't  know  that  Rectus  had  such  a  bloodthirsty 
style  of  mind;  but  there  were  a  good  many  things 
about  him  that  I  did  n't  know.  When  he  came  back, 
he  loaded  the  rifle,  which  was  a  little  breech-loader, 
and  began  eagerly  looking  about  for  game. 

Corny  had  been  on  the  upper  deck;  but  in  a  minute 
or  two  she  came  running  out  to  us. 

"Oh!  do  you  know,"  she  called  out,  "that  there 
are  alligators  in  this  river  ?  Do  you  think  they  could 
crawl  up  into  the  boat  ?  We  go  awfully  near  shore 
sometimes.  They  sleep  on  shore.  I  do  hope  I  '11  see 
one  soon." 

"  Well,  keep  a  sharp  look-out,  and  perhaps  you 
may,"  said  I. 

She  sat  down  on  a  box  near  the  edge  of  the  deck, 
and  peered  into  the  water  and  along  the  shore  as  if 
she  had  been  sent  there  to  watch  for  breakers  ahead. 
Every  now  and  then  she  screamed  out : 

"  There  's  one  !     There  !     There  !     There  !  " 

But  it  was  generally  a  log,  or  a  reflection,  or  some 
thing  else  that  was  not  an  alligator. 

Of  course  we  were  very  near  both  shores  at  all 
times,  for  the  river  is  so  narrow  that  a  small  boy  could 
throw  a  ball  over  it ;  but  occasionally  the  deeper  part 
of  the  channel  flowed  so  near  one  shore  that  we  ran 
right  up  close  to  the  trees,  and  the  branches  flapped 


102  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

up  against  the  people  on  the  little  forward  deck,  mak 
ing  the  ladies,  especially  the  lady  belonging  to  the 
yellow-legged  party,  crouch  and  scream  as  if  some 
wood-demon  had  stuck  a  hand  into  the  boat  and  made 
a  grab  for  their  bonnets. 

This  commotion  every  now  and  then,  and  the 
almost  continual  reports  from  the  guns  on  board,  and 
Corny's  screams  when  she  thought  she  saw  an  alliga 
tor,  made  the  scene  quite  lively. 

Rectus  and  I  took  a  turn  every  half-hour  at  the 
rifle.  It  was  really  a  great  deal  more  agreeable  to 
look  out  at  the  beautiful  pictures  that  came  up  before 
us  every  few  minutes ;  but,  as  we  had  the  gun,  we 
could  n't  help  keeping  up  a  watch  for  game,  besides. 

"  There  !  "  I  whispered  to  Rectus ;  "  see  that  big 
bird  !  On  that  limb  !  Take  a  crack  at  him  !  " 

It  was  a  water-turkey,  and  he  sat  placidly  on  a  limb 
close  to  the  water's  edge,  and  about  a  boat's  length 
ahead  of  us. 

Rectus  took  a  good  aim.  He  slowly  turned  as  the 
boat  approached  the  bird,  keeping  his  aim  upon  him, 
and  then  he  fired. 

The  water-turkey  stuck  out  his  long,  snake-like 
neck,  and  said : 

"  Quee  !  Quee  !  Quee  !  " 

And  then  he  ran  along  the  limb  quite  gayly. 

"  Bang  !  bang  !  "  went  the  guns  of  the  yellow-legs, 
and  the  turkey  actually  stopped  and  looked  back. 
Then  he  said : 

"Quee!  Quee!"  again,  and  ran  in  among  the  thick 
leaves. 


THE    STEAM-BOAT  IN    THE   FOREST.      103 

I  believe  I  could  have  hit  him  with  a  stone. 

"  It  don't  seem  to  be  any  use,"  said  Mr.  Chipperton, 
who  was  standing  behind  us,  "  to  fire  at  the  birds 
along  this  river.  They  know  just  what  to  do.  I  'm 
almost  sure  I  saw  that  bird  wink.  It  would  n't  sur 
prise  me  if  the  fellows  that  own  the  rifles  are  in  con 
spiracy  with  these  birds.  They  let  out  rifles  that  wont 
hit,  and  the  birds  know  it,  and  sit  there  and  laugh  at 
the  passengers.  Why,  I  tell  you,  sir,  if  the  people 
who  travel  up  and  down  this  river  were  all  regular 
shooters,  there  would  n't  be  a  bird  left  in  six  months." 

At  this  moment  Corny  saw  an  alligator, — a  real  one. 
It  was  lying  on  a  log,  near  shore,  and  just  ahead  of 
the  boat.  She  set  up  such  a  yell  that  it  made  every 
one  of  us  jump,  and  her  mother  came  rushing  out 
of  the  saloon  to  see  if  she  was  dead.  The  alligator, 
who  was  a  good-sized  fellow,  was  so  scared  that  he 
just  slid  off  his  log  without  taking  time  to  get  decently 
awake,  and  before  any  one  but  Rectus  and  myself 
had  a  chance  to  see  him.  The  ladies  were  very  much 
annoyed  at  this,  and  urged  Corny  to  scream  softly  the 
next  time  she  saw  one.  Alligators  were  pretty  scarce 
this  trip,  for  some  reason  or  other.  For  one  thing,  the 
weather  was  not  very  warm,  and  they  don't  care  to 
come  out  in  the  open  air  unless  they  can  give  their 
cold  bodies  a  good  warming  up. 

Corny  now  went  up  on  the  upper  deck,  because  she 
thought  that  she  might  see  alligators  farther  ahead  if 
she  got  up  higher.  In  five  minutes,  she  had  her  hat 
taken  off  by  a  branch  of  a  tree,  which  swept  upon  her, 
as  she  was  leaning  over  the  rail.  She  called  to  the 


104  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

pilot  to  stop  the  boat  and  go  back  for  her  hat,  but  the 
captain,  who  was  up  in  the  pilot-house,  stuck  out  his 
head  and  said  he  reckoned  she  'd  have  to  wait  until 
they  came  back.  The  hat  would  hang  there  for  a  day 
or  two.  Corny  made  no  answer  to  this,  but  disap 
peared  into  the  saloon. 

In  a  little  while,  she  came  out  on  the  lower  deck, 
wearing  a  seal-skin  hat.  She  brought  a  stool  with  her, 
and  put  it  near  the  bow  of  the  boat,  a  little  in  front 
and  on  one  side  of  the  box  on  which  Rectus  and  I 
were  sitting.  Then  she  sat  quietly  down  and  gazed 
out  ahead.  The  seal-skin  cap  was  rather  too  warm 
for  the  day,  perhaps,  but  she  looked  very  pretty  in  it. 

Directly  she  looked  around  at  us. 

"  Where  do  you  shoot  alligators  ?  "  said  she. 

"  Anywhere,  where  you  may  happen  to  see  them/' 
said  I,  laughing.  "  On  the  land,  in  the  water,  or 
wherever  they  may  be." 

"  I  mean  in  what  part  of  their  bodies  ?  "  said  she. 

"  Oh  !  in  the  eye,"  I  answered. 

"  Either  eye  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Yes  ;  it  don't  matter  which.  But  how  are  you 
going  to  hit  them  ?  " 

"  I  've  got  a  revolver,"  said  she. 

And  she  turned  around,  like  the  turret  of  an  iron 
clad,  until  the  muzzle  of  a  big  seven-shooter  pointed 
right  at  us. 

"  My  conscience  !  "  I  exclaimed ;  "  where  did  you 
get  that  ?  Don't  point  it  this  way  !  " 

"  Oh !  it 's  father's.  He  let  me  have  it.  I  am  going 
to  shoot  the  first  alligator  I  see.  You  need  n't  be 


THE   STEAM-BOAT  IN    THE    FOREST.      105 

afraid  of  my  screaming  this  time,"  and  she  revolved 
back  to  her  former  position. 

"  One  good  thing,"  said  Rectus  to  me,  in  a  low 
voice ;  "  her  pistol  is  n't  cocked." 

I  had  noticed  this,  and  I  hoped  also  that  it  was  n't 
loaded. 

"Which  eye  do  you  shut?"  said  Corny,  turning 
suddenly  upon  us. 

"  Both  !  "  said  Rectus. 

She  did  not  answer,  but  looked  at  me,  and  I  told 
her  to  shut  her  left  eye,  but  to  be  very  particular  not 
to  turn  around  again  without  lowering  her  pistol. 

She  resumed  her  former  position,  and  we  breathed  a 
little  easier,  although  I  thought  that  it  might  be  well 
for  us  to  go  to  some  other  part  of  the  boat  until 
she  had  finished  her  sport. 

I  was  about  to  suggest  this  to  Rectus,  when  sud 
denly  Corny  sprang  to  her  feet,  and  began  blazing 
away  at  something  ahead.  Bang  !  bang  !  bang !  she 
went,  seven  times. 

"Why,  she  did  n't  stop  once  to  cock  it!"  cried 
Rectus,  and  I  was  amazed  to  see  how  she  had  fired 
so  rapidly.  But  as  soon  as  I  had  counted  seven,  I 
stepped  up  to  her  and  took  her  pistol.  She  explained 
to  me  how  it  worked.  It  was  one  of  those  pistols 
in  which  the  same  pull  of  the  trigger  jerks  up  the 
hammer  and  lets  it  down, —  the  most  unsafe  things 
that  any  one  can  carry. 

"  Too  bad  !  "  she  exclaimed.     "  I  believe  it  was  only 
a  log !     But  wont  you  please  load  it  up  again  for  me  ? 
Here  are  some  cartridges." 
5" 


L06  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  Corny,"  said  I,  "  how  would  you  like  to  have  ou! 
rifle  ?  It  will  be  better  than  a  pistol  for  you." 

She  agreed,  instantly,  to  this  exchange,  and  I 
showed  her  how  to  hold  and  manage  the  gun.  I 
did  n't  think  it  was  a  very  good  thing  for  a  girl  to 
have,  but  it  was  a  great  deal  safer  than  the  pistol 
for  the  people  on  board.  The  latter  I  put  in  my 
pocket. 

Corny  made  one  shot,  but  did  no  execution.  The 
other  gunners  on  board  had  been  firing  away,  for  some 
time,  at  two  little  birds  that  kept  ahead  of  us,  skim 
ming  along  over  the  water,  just  out  of  reach  of  the 
shot  that  was  sent  scattering  after  them. 

"  I  think  it  's  a  shame,"  said  Corny,  "  to  shoot  such 
little  birds  as  that.  They  can't  eat  'em." 

"  No,"  said  I ;  "  and  they  can't  hit  'em,  either, 
which  is  a  great  deal  better." 

But  very  soon  after  this,  the  shorter  yellow-legged 
man  did  hit  a  bird.  It  was  a  water-turkey,  that  had 
been  sitting  on  a  tree,  just  as  we  turned  a  corner. 
The  big  bird  spread  out  its  wings,  made  a  doleful 
flutter,  and  fell  into  the  underbrush  by  the  shore. 

"Wont  they  stop  to  get  him  ?"  asked  Corny,  with 
her  eyes  open  as  wide  as  they  would  go. 

One  of  the  hands  was  standing  by,  and  he  laughed. 

"  Stop  the  boat  when  a  man  shoots  a  bird  ?  I 
reckon  not.  And  there  is  n't  anybody  that  would  go 
into  all  that  underbrush  and  water  only  for  a  bird  like 
that,  anyway." 

"Well,  I  think  it  's  murder!"  cried  Corny.  "I 
thought  they  ate  'em.  Here  !  Take  your  gun.  I  'm 


THE    STEAM-BOAT   IN    THE    FOREST.      107 

much  obliged  ;  but  I  don't  want  to  kill  things  just  to 
see  them  fall  down  and  die." 

I  took  the  gun  very  willingly, —  although  I  did  not 
think  that  Corny  would  injure  any  birds  with  it, — but 
I  asked  her  what  she  thought  about  alligators.  She  cer 
tainly  had  not  supposed  that  they  were  killed  for  food. 

"  Alligators  are  wild  beasts,"  she  said.  "  Give  me 
my  pistol.  I  am  going  to  take  it  back  to  father." 

And  away  she  went.  Rectus  and  I  did  not  keep  up 
our  rifle  practice  much  longer.  We  could  n't  hit  any 
thing,  and  the  thought  that,  if  we  should  wound  or  kill 
a  bird,  it  would  be  of  no  earthly  good  to  us  or  any 
body  else,  made  us  follow  Corny's  example,  and  we 
put  away  our  gun.  But  the  other  gunners  did  not 
stop.  As  long  as  daylight  lasted  a  ceaseless  bang 
ing  was  kept  up. 

We  were  sitting  on  the  forward  deck,  looking  out 
at  the  beautiful  scenes  through  which  we  were  pass 
ing,  and  occasionally  turning  back  to  see  that  none 
of  the  gunners  posted  themselves  where  they  might 
make  our  positions  uncomfortable,  when  Corny  came 
back  to  us. 

"  Can  either  of  you  speak  French  ?"  she  asked. 

Rectus  could  n't ;  but  I  told  her  that  I  understood 
the  language  tolerably  well,  and  asked  her  why  she 
wished  to  know. 

"  It  's  just  this,"  she  said.  "  You  see  those  two  men 
with  yellow  boots,  and  the  lady  with  them  ?  She  's 
one  of  their  wives." 

"  How  many  wives  have  they  got  ? "  interrupted 
Rectus,  speaking  to  Corny  almost  for  the  first  time. 


108  A    JOLLY   FELLOWSHIP. 

"  I  mean  she  is  the  wife  of  one  of  them,  of  course," 
she  answered,  a  little  sharply  ;  and  then  she  turned 
herself  somewhat  more  toward  me.  "  And  the  whole 
set  try  to  make  out  they  're  French,  for  they  talk  it 
nearly  all  the  time.  But  they  're  not  French,  for  I 
heard  them  talk  a  good  deal  better  English  than  they 
can  talk  French  ;  and  every  time  a  branch  nearly  hits 
her,  that  lady  sings  out  in  regular  English.  And, 
besides,  I  know  that  their  French  is  n't  French 
French,  because  I  can  understand  a  great  deal  of  it, 
and  if  it  was  I  could  n't  do  it.  I  can  talk  French  a 
good  deal  better  than  I  can  understand  it,  anyway. 
The  French  people  jumble  everything  up  so  that  I 
can't  make  head  or  tail  of  it.  Father  says  he  don't 
wonder  they  have  had  so  many  revolutions,  when  they 
can't  speak  their  own  language  more  distinctly.  He 
tried  to  learn  it,  but  did  n't  keep  it  up  long,  and  so  I 
took  lessons.  For,  when  we  go  to  France,  one  of  us 
ought  to  know  how  to  talk,  or  we  shall  be  cheated 
dreadfully.  Well,  you  see,  over  on  the  little  deck,  up 
there,  is  that  gentleman  with  his  wife  and  a  young 
lady,  and  they  're  all  travelling  together,  and  these 
make-believe  French  people  have  been  jabbering 
about  them  ever  so  long,  thinking  that  nobody  else 
on  board  understands  French.  But  I  listened  to  them. 
I  could  n't  make  out  all  they  said,  but  I  could  tell 
that  they  were  saying  all  sorts  of  things  about  those 
other  people,  and  trying  to  settle  which  lady  the  gen 
tleman  was  married  to,  and  they  made  a  big  mistake, 
too,  for  they  said  the  small  lady  was  the  one." 

"  How  do  you  know  they  were  wrong  ?  "  I  said. 


THE    STEAM-BOAT  IN    THE    FOREST.      109 

"  Why,  I  went  to  the  gentleman  and  asked  him.  I 
guess  he  ought  to  know.  And  now,  if  you  '11  come  up 
there,  I  'd  just  like  to  show  those  people  that  they  can't 
talk  out  loud  about  the  other  passengers  and  have 
nobody  know  what  they  're  saying." 

"  You  want  to  go  there  and  talk  French,  so  as  to 
show  them  that  you  understand  it?"  said  I. 

"  Yes,"  answered  Corny,  "  that  's  just  it." 

"  All  right ;  come  along,"  said  I.  "  They  may  be 
glad  to  find  out  that  you  know  what  they  're  talking 
about" 

And  so  we  all  went  to  the  upper  deck,  Rectus  as 
willing  as  anybody  to  see  the  fun. 

Corny  seated  herself  on  a  little  stool  near  the  yel 
low-legged  party,  the  men  of  which  had  put  down 
their  guns  for  a  time.  Rectus  and  I  sat  on  the  for 
ward  railing,  near  her.  Directly  she  cleared  her 
throat,  and  then,  after  looking  about  her  on  each  side, 
said  to  me,  in  very  distinct  tones  : 

"  Voy-ezz  vows  cett  hontmy  ett  ses  ducks  femmys 
seelah?  "  * 

I  came  near  roaring  out  laughing,  but  I  managed  to 
keep  my  face  straight,  and  said  :  "  Oui" 

"  Well,  then, — I  mean  Bean  donk  lah  peetit  femmy 
nest  pah  lah  femmy  due  hommy.  Lah  oter  femmy  este 
sah  femmy"  t 

*  "  Voyez-vous  cet  homme  et  ces  deux  femmes  cela  ?  " — Do  you  see  that 
man  and  those  two  women  there  ? 

t"  Bien  done,  la  petite  femme  riest  pas  lafemme  du  homme.  La  autre 
femme  est  sa  femme." — Well,  then,  the  little  woman  is  not  the  wife  of 
the  man.  The  other  woman  is  his  wife.  [Of  course,  the  French  in 
this,  and  the  preceding,  foot-note  is  Corny's. — THE  AUTHOR.  1 


110 


A    JOLLY   FELLOWSHIP. 


At  this,  there  was  no  holding  in  any  longer.  I 
burst  out  laughing,  so  that  I  came  near  falling  off  the 
railing ;  Rectus  laughed  because  I  did  ;  the  gentleman 
with  the  wife  and  the  young  lady  laughed  madly,  and 


VOY-EZZ   VOWS    CETT    HOMMY    ETT    SES    DUCKS    FEMMYS    SEELAH?1 


Mr.  Chipperton,  who  came  out  of  the  saloon  on  hear 
ing  the  uproar,  laughed  quite  cheerfully,  and  asked 
what  it  was  all  about.  But  Corny  did  n't  laugh 
She  turned  around  short  to  see  what  effect  her  speech 
had  had  on  the  yellow-legged  party.  It  had  a  good 


THE    STEAM-BOAT  IN    THE    FOREST.      Ill 

deal  of  effect,  They  reddened  and  looked  at  us. 
Then  they  drew  their  chairs  closer  together,  and 
turned  their  backs  to  us.  What  they  thought,  we 
never  knew  ;  but  Corny  declared  to  me  afterward  that 
they  talked  no  more  French, —  at  least  when  she  was 
about. 

The  gentleman  who  had  been  the  subject  of  Corny's 
French  discourse  called  her  over  to  him,  and  the  four 
had  a  gay  talk  together.  I  heard  Corny  tell  them 
that  she  never  could  pronounce  French  in  the  French 
way.  She  pronounced  it  just  as  it  was  spelt,  and 
her  father  said  that  ought  to  be  the  rule  with 
every  language.  She  had  never  had  a  regular 
teacher  ;  but  if  people  laughed  so  much  at  the  way 
she  talked,  perhaps  her  father  ought  to  get  her  one. 

I  liked  Corny  better  the  more  I  knew  of  her.  It 
was  easy  to  see  that  she  had  taught  herself  all  that  she 
knew.  Her  mother  held  her  back  a  good  deal,  no 
doubt ;  but  her  father  seemed  more  like  a  boy-com 
panion  than  anything  else,  and  if  Corny  had  n't  been 
a  very  smart  girl,  she  would  have  been  a  pretty  bad 
kind  of  a  girl  by  this  time.  But  she  was  n't  anything 
of  the  sort,  although  she  did  do  and  say  everything 
that  came  into  her  head  to  say  or  do.  Rectus  did  not 
agree  with  me  about  Corny.  He  did  n't  like  her. 

When  it  grew  dark,  I  thought  we  should  stop  some 
where  for  the  night,  for  it  was  hard  enough  for  the 
boat  to  twist  and  squeeze  herself  along  the  river  in 
broad  daylight.  She  bumped  against  big  trees  that 
stood  on  the  edge  of  the  stream,  and  swashed  through 
bushes  that  stuck  out  too  far  from  the  banks  ;  but  she 


112  A    JOLLY   FELLOWSHIP. 

was  built  for  bumping  and  scratching,  and  did  n't 
mind  it.  Sometimes  she  would  turn  around  a  corner 
and  make  a  short  cut  through  a  whole  plantation  of 
lily-pads  and  spatterdocks, — or  things  like  them, — 
and  she  would  scrape  over  a  sunken  log  as  easily  as  a 
wagon-wheel  rolls  over  a  stone.  She  drew  only  two 
feet  of  water,  and  was  flat-bottomed.  When  she 
made  a  very  short  turn,  the  men  had  to  push  her  stern 
around  with  poles.  Indeed,  there  was  a  man  with  a 
pole  at  the  bow  a  good  deal  of  the  time,  and  some 
times  he  had  more  pushing  off  to  do  than  he  could 
manage  by  himself. 

When  Mr.  Chipperton  saw  what  tight  places  we 
had  to  squeeze  through,  he  admitted  that  it  was  quite 
proper  not  to  try  to  bring  the  big  steam-boats  up  here. 

But  the  boat  did  n't  stop.  She  kept  right  on.  She 
had  to  go  a  hundred  and  forty  miles  up  that  narrow 
river,  and  if  she  made  the  whole  trip  from  Pilatka  and 
back  in  two  days,  she  had  no  time  to  lose.  So,  when  it 
was  dark,  a  big  iron  box  was  set  up  on  top  of  the 
pilot-house,  and  a  fire  was  built  in  it  of  pine-knots  and 
bits  of  fat  pine.  This  blazed  finely,  and  lighted  up 
the  river  and  the  trees  on  each  side,  and  sometimes 
threw  out  such  a  light  that  we  could  see  quite  a 
distance  ahead.  Everybody  came  out  to  see  the  won 
derful  sight.  It  was  more  like  fairy-land  than  ever. 
When  the  fire  died  down  a  little,  the  distant  scenery 
seemed  to  fade  away  and  become  indistinct  and 
shadowy,  and  the  great  trees  stood  up  like  their  own 
ghosts  all  around  us ;  and  then,  when  fresh  knots  were 
thrown  in,  the  fire  would  blaze  up,  and  the  whole 


THE    STEAM-BOAT  IN    THE    FOREST.      113 

scene  would  be  lighted  up  again,  and  every  tree  and 
bush,  and  almost  every  leaf,  along  the  water's  edge 
would  be  tipped  with  light,  while  everything  was 
reflected  in  the  smooth,  glittering  water. 

Rectus  and  I  could  hardly  go  in  to  supper,  and  we 
got  through  the  meal  in  short  order.  We  staid  out 
on  deck  until  after  eleven  o'clock,  and  Corny  staid 
with  us  a  good  part  of  the  time.  At  last,  her  father 
came  down  after  her,  for  they  were  all  going  to  bed. 

"This  is  a  grand  sight,"  said  Mr.  Chipperton.  "I 
never  saw  anything  to  equal  it  in  any  transformation 
scene  at  a  theatre.  Some  of  our  theatre  people 
ought  to  come  down  here  and  study  it  up,  so  as  to 
get  up  something  of  the  kind  for  exhibition  in  the 
cities." 

Just  before  we  went  into  bed,  our  steam-whistle 
began  to  sound,  and  away  off  in  the  depths  of  the 
forest  we  could  hear  every  now  and  then  another 
whistle.  The  captain  told  us  that  there  was  a  boat 
coming  down  the  river,  and  that  she  would  soon  pass 
us.  The  river  did  not  look  wide  enough  for  two  boats; 
but  when  the  other  whistle  sounded  as  if  it  were 
quite  near,  we  ran  our  boat  close  into  shore  among 
the  spatterdocks,  in  a  little  cove,  and  waited  there, 
leaving  the  channel  for  the  other  boat. 

Directly,  it  came  around  a  curve  just  ahead  of  us, 
and  truly  it  was  a  splendid  sight.  The  lower  part  of 
the  boat  was  all  lighted  up,  and  the  fire  was  blazing 
away  grandly  in  its  iron  box,  high  up  in  the  air. 

To  see  such  a  glowing,  sparkling  apparition  as  this 
come  sailing  out  of  the  depths  of  the  dark  forest,  was 


114  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

grand  !  Rectus  said  he  felt  like  bursting  into  poetry; 
but  he  did  n't.  He  was  n't  much  on  rhymes.  He  had 
opportunity  enough,  though,  to  get  up  a  pretty  good- 
sized  poem,  for  we  were  kept  awake  a  long  time  after 
we  went  to  bed  by  the  boughs  of  the  trees  on  shore 
scratching  and  tapping  against  the  outside  of  our 
state-room. 

When  we  went  out  on  deck  the  next  morning,  the 
first  person  we  saw  was  Corny,  holding  on  to  the  flag 
staff  at  the  bow  and  looking  over  the  edge  of  the  deck 
into  the  water. 

"  What  are  you  looking  at  ?  "  said  I,  as  we  went  up 
to  her. 

"  See  there  !  "  she  cried.  "See  that  turtle  !  And 
those  two  fishes  !  Look  !  look  !  " 

We  did  n't  need  to  be  told  twice  to  look.  The 
water  was  just  as  clear  as  crystal,  and  you  could  see 
the  bottom  everywhere,  even  in  the  deepest  places, 
with  the  great  rocks  covered  with  some  glittering 
green  substance  that  looked  like  emerald  slabs,  and 
the  fish  and  turtles  swimming  about  as  if  they  thought 
there  was  no  one  looking  at  them. 

I  could  n't  understand  how  the  water  had  become 
so  clear  ;  but  I  was  told  that  we  had  left  the  river 
proper  and  were  now  in  a  stream  that  flowed  from 
Silver  Spring,  which  was  the  end  of  our  voyage  into 
the  cypress  woods.  The  water  in  the  spring  and  in 
this  stream  was  almost  transparent, —  very  different 
from  the  regular  water  of  the  river. 

About  ten  o'clock,  we  reached  Silver  Spring,  which 
is  like  a  little  lake,  with  some  houses  on  the  bank. 


THE    STEAM-BOAT  IN    THE    FOREST.      115 

We  made  fast  at  a  wharf,  and,  as  we  were  to  stop 
here  some  hours,  everybody  got  ready  to  go  ashore. 

Corny  was  the  first  one  ready.  Her  mother  thought 
she  ought  not  to  go,  but  her  father  said  there  was 
no  harm  in  it. 

"  If  she  does,"  said  Mrs.  Chipperton,  "  she  '11  get 
herself  into  some  sort  of  a  predicament  before  she 
comes  back." 

I  found  that  in  such  a  case  as  this  Mrs.  Chipperton 
was  generally  right 


CHAPTER   IX. 

THE   THREE   GRAY    BEANS. 

went  ashore,  but  she  did  not  stay  there 
three  minutes.  From  the  edge  of  the  wharf  we 
could  see  that  Silver  Spring  was  better  worth  looking 
at  than  anything  we  should  be  likely  to  see  on  shore. 
The  little  lake  seemed  deeper  than  a  three-story  house, 
and  yet,  even  from  where  we  stood,  we  could  see  down 
to  the  very  bottom. 

There  were  two  boys  with  row-boats  at  the  wharf. 
We  hired  one  of  the  boats  right  off,  and  Corny  gave 
me  such  a  look,  that  I  told  her  to  get  in.  After 
she  was  in  the  boat,  she  asked  her  mother,  who 
was  standing  on  the  deck  of  the  steam-boat,  if  she 
might  go.  Mrs.  Chipperton  said  she  supposed  so,  and 
away  we  went.  When  we  had  rowed  out  to  the  mid 
dle  of  the  spring,  I  stopped  rowing,  and  we  looked 
down  into  the  depths.  It  was  almost  the  same  as 
looking  into  air.  Far  down  at  the  bottom  we  could 
see  the  glittering  sand  and  the  green  rocks,  and  some 
times  a  fish,  as  long  as  my  arm,  would  slowly  rise  and 

116 


THE    THREE    GRAY   BEANS.  117 

fall,  and  paddle  away  beneath  us.  We  dropped  nickels 
and  copper  cents  down  to  the  bottom,  and  we  could 
plainly  see  them  lying  there.  In  some  parts  of  the 
bottom  there  were  "  wells,"  or  holes,  about  two  feet  in 
diameter,  which  seemed  to  go  down  indefinitely. 
These,  we  were  told,  were  the  places  where  the  water 
came  up  from  below  into  the  spring.  We  could  see  the 
weeds  and  grasses  that  grew  on  the  edges  of  these 
wells,  although  we  could  not  see  very  far  down  into 
them. 

"  If  I  had  only  known,"  said  Rectus,  "  what  sort  of 
a  place  we  were  coming  to,  I  should  have  brought 
something  to  lower  down  into  these  wells.  I  tell  you 
what  would  have  been  splendid! — a  heavy  bottle 
filled  with  sweet  oil  and  some  phosphorus,  and  a  long 
cord.  If  we  shook  up  the  bottle  it  would  shine,  so 
that,  when  we  lowered  it  into  the  wells,  we  could  see 
it  go  down  to  the  very  bottom,  that  is,  if  the  cord 
should  be  long  enough." 

At  this  instant,  Corny  went  overboard  !  Rectus 
made  a  grab  at  her,  but  it  was  too  late.  He  sprang  to 
his  feet,  and  I  thought  he  was  going  over  after  her, 
but  I  seized  him. 

"  Sit  down  !  "  said  I.  "  Watch  her  !  She  '11  come 
up  again.  Lean  over  and  be  ready  for  her !  " 

We  both  leaned  over  the  bow  as  far  as  was  safe. 
With  one  hand  I  gently  paddled  the  boat,  this  way 
and  that,  so  as  to  keep  ourselves  directly  over  Corny. 
It  would  have  been  of  no  use  to  jump  in.  We  could 
see  her  as  plainly  as  anything. 

She  was  going  down,  all  in  a  bunch,  when  I  first 


118  A    JOLLY   FELLOWSHIP. 

saw  her,  and  the  next  instant  she  touched  the  bottom. 
Her  feet  were  under  now,  and  I  saw  her  make  a  little 
spring.  She  just  pushed  out  her  feet. 

Then  she  began  to  come  right  up.  We  saw  her 
slowly  rising  beneath  us.  Her  face  was  turned 
upward,  and  her  eyes  were  wide  open.  It  was  a 
wonderful  sight.  I  trembled  from  head  to  foot.  It 
seemed  as  if  we  were  floating  in  the  air,  and  Corny 
was  coming  up  to  us  from  the  earth. 

Before  she  quite  reached  the  surface,  I  caught  her, 
and  had  her  head  out  of  water  in  an  instant.  Rectus 
then  took  hold,  and  with  a  mighty  jerk,  we  pulled  her 
into  the  boat. 

Corny  sat  down  hard  and  opened  her  mouth. 

"  There  ! "  she  said ;  "  I  did  n't  breathe  an 
inch  !  " 

And  then  she  puffed  for  about  two  minutes,  while 
the  water  ran  off  her  into  the  bottom  of  the  boat. 
I  seized  the  oars  to  row  to  shore. 

"  How  did  you  fall  over  ?  "  said  Rectus,  who  still 
shook  as  if  he  had  had  a  chill. 

"  Don't  know,"  answered  Corny.  "  I  was  leaning 
far  over,  when  my  hand  must  have  slipped,  and  the 
first  thing  I  knew  I  was  into  it.  It  's  good  I  did  n't 
shut  my  eyes.  If  you  get  into  water  with  your  eyes 
shut,  you  can't  open  them  again."  She  still  puffed  a 
little.  "  Coming  up  was  the  best.  It  's  the  first  time 
I  ever  saw  the  bottom  of  a  boat" 

"  Were  n't  you  frightened  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Had  n't  time  at  first.  And  when  I  was  coming 
up,  I  saw  you  reaching  out  for  me." 


THE  THREE  GRAY  BEANS, 


119 


"WK  SAW  HBR   SLOWLY  RISING  BENEATH  US." 


"  Did  you 
think  we  'd 
get  you?"  said 
Rectus,  his 
face  flushing. 

"Yes,"  said 
Corny,  "but  if 
you  'd  missed 
me  that  time, 
I  'd  never  have 
trusted  you 
again." 

The  gentle- 
man-with-a- 
w  i  f  e  -  a  n  d  -  a  - 
young-  lady 
was  in  another 
boat,  not  very 
far  off,  but  it 
was  nearer  the 
upper  end  of 
the  little  lake, 
and  none  of 
the  party  knew 
of  our  accident 
until  we  were 
pulling  Corny 
out  of  the 
water.  Then 
they  rowed 
toward  us  ag 


120  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

fast  as  they  could,  but  they  did  not  reach  us 
until  we  were  at  the  wharf.  No  one  on  shore,  or 
on  the  steam-boat,  seemed  to  have  noticed  Corny 's 
dive.  Indeed,  the  whole  thing  was  done  so  quietly, 
and  was  so  soon  over,  that  there  was  not  as  much 
of  a  show  as  the  occasion  demanded. 

"  I  never  before  was  in  deep  water  that  seemed  so 
little  like  real  water,"  said  Corny,  just  before  we 
reached  the  wharf.  "  This  was  cold,  and  that  was  the 
only  thing  natural  about  it." 

"  Then  this  is  not  the  first  time  you  Ve  been  in 
deep  water  ?  "  I  asked. 

"No,"  said  Corny,  "not  the  very  first  time ;"  and 
she  scrambled  up  on  the  wharf,  where  her  mother  was 
standing,  talking  to  some  ladies. 

"  Why,  Cornelia !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Chipperton,  as 
soon  as  she  saw  the  dripping  girl,  "  have  you  been  in 
the  water  again  ?  " 

"Yes,  ma'am,"  said  Corny,  drawing  her  shoulders 
up  to  her  ears,  "  and  I  must  be  rubbed  down  and  have 
dry  clothes  as  quick  as  lightning." 

And  with  this,  she  and  her  mother  hurried  on  board 
the  steam-boat. 

Rectus  and  I  went  back  on  the  lake,  for  we  had  not 
gone  half  over  it  when  Corny  went  into  it.  We  had 
rowed  about  for  half  an  hour  or  so,  and  were  just 
coming  in,  when  Corny  appeared  on  the  deck  of  the 
steam-boat,  with  a  handkerchief  tied  around  her  head. 

"  Are  you  going  to  take  a  walk  on  shore  ? "  she 
called  out. 

"Yes  I"  we  shouted 


THE  THREE  GRAY  BEANS.       12] 

"All  right,"  said  she;  "if  you  '11  let  me,  T  '11  gs 
with  you,  for  mother  says  I  must  take  a  good  run 
in  the  sun.  I  look  funny,  don't  I  ?  but  I  have  n't  any 
more  hats." 

We  gave  her  a  good  run,  although  it  was  not  alto 
gether  in  the  sun.  The  country  hereabout  was  pretty 
well  wooded,  but  there  were  roads  cut  through  the 
woods,  and  there  were  some  open  places,  and  every 
where,  underfoot,  the  sand  was  about  six  inches 
deep.  Rectus  took  Corny  by  one  hand,  and  I  took 
her  by  the  other,  and  we  made  her  trot  through  that 
sand,  in  sunshine  and  shade,  until  she  declared  she  was 
warm  enough  to  last  for  a  week.  The  yellow-legged 
party  and  some  of  the  other  passengers  were  wander 
ing  about,  gathering  the  long  gray  moss, — from  limbs 
where  they  could  reach  it, —  and  cutting  great  pal 
metto  leaves  which  grew  on  low  bushes  all  through  the 
woods,  and  carrying  them  about  as  fans  or  parasols  ; 
but  although  Corny  wanted  to  join  in  this  fun,  we 
would  not  stop.  We  just  trotted  her  until  she  was 
tired,  and  then  we  ran  her  on  board  the  boat,  where 
her  mother  was  waiting  for  her. 

"  Now,  then,"  said  Mrs.  Chipperton,  "  immediately 
to  bed." 

The  two  disappeared,  and  we  saw  no  more  of  Corny 
until  supper-time.  Her  mother  was  certainly  good  at 
cure,  if  she  did  n't  have  much  of  a  knack  at  prevention 

Just  as  the  boat  was  about  to  start  off  on  her  return 
trip,  and  after  she  had  blown  her  whistle  two  or  three 
times,  Mr.  Chipperton  appeared,  carrying  an  immense 
arm-load  of  gray  moss.  He  puffed  and  blew  as  he 

6 


122  A    JOLLY   FELLOWSHIP. 

threw  it  down  on  deck.  When  his  wife  came  out  and 
told  him  of  Corny's  disaster,  he  stopped  dusting  his 
clothes,  and  looked  up  for  an  instant. 

"  I  declare,"  said  he,  "  Corny  must  keep  out  of  the 
water.  It  seems  to  me  that  I  can  never  leave  her  but 
she  gets  into  some  scrape.  But  I  'm  sure  our  friends 
here  have  proved  themselves  good  fellows,  indeed," 
and  he  shook  hands  with  both  of  us. 

"  Now  then,  my  dear,"  said  he  to  his  wife,  "  I  Ve 
enough  moss  here  for  the  parlor  and  sitting-room,  and 
the  little  back-room,  upstairs.  I  did  n't  get  any  for 
the  dining-room,  because  it  might  blow  about  and  get 
into  the  food." 

"Do  you  mean  to  take  that  moss  all  the  way 
home?"  asked  Mrs.  Chipperton,  in  surprise.  "Why, 
how  will  you  ever  carry  it  ?  " 

"  Of  course  I  mean  to  take  it  home,"  said  he.  "  I 
gathered  this  with  my  own  hands  from  the  top  of  one 
of  the  tallest  trees  on  the  banks  of  this  famous  Silver 
Spring." 

"  Mr.  Chipperton  !  "  exclaimed  his  wife. 

"  To  be  sure,  the  tree  was  cut  down,  but  that  makes 
no  difference  in  the  fact.  It  is  both  an  ornament  and 
a  trophy  of  travel.  If  necessary,  I  '11  buy  a  trunk  for 
it.  What  did  you  do  with  Corny  after  they  got  her 
out?" 

Our  journey  home  was  very  much  like  our  trip  up 
the  river,  but  there  were  a  few  exceptions.  There  was 
not  so  much  firing,  for  I  think  the  ammunition  got 
pretty  low ;  we  saw  more  alligators,  and  the  yellow- 
legged  party,  which  had  joined  us  at  Pilatka,  went  all 


THE  THREE  GRAY  BEANS.       123 

the  way  to  St.  Augustine  with  us.  There  was  still 
another  difference,  and  that  was  in  Rectus.  He  was 
a  good  deal  livelier, —  more  in  the  spirit  that  had 
hatched  out  in  him  in  the  cemetery  at  Savannah.  He 
seemed  to  be  all  right  with  Corny  now,  and  we  had  a 
good  time  together.  I  was  going  to  say  to  him,  once, 
that  he  had  changed  his  mind  about  girls,  but  I 
thought  I  would  n't.  It  would  be  better  to  let  well 
enough  alone,  and  he  was  a  ticklish  customer. 

The  day  after  we  returned  to  St.  Augustine,  we 
were  walking  on  the  sea-wall,  when  we  met  Corny. 
She  said  she  had  been  looking  for  us.  Her  father  had 
gone  out  fishing  with  some  gentlemen,  and  her  mother 
would  not  walk  in  the  sun,  and,  besides,  she  had 
something  to  say  to  us. 

So  we  all  walked  to  the  fort  and  sat  down  on  the 
wide  wall  of  the  water- battery.  Rectus  bestrode  one 
of  the  cannon  that  stood  pointing  out  to  sea,  but 
Corny  told  him  she  wanted  him  to  get  down  and  sit 
by  her,  so  that  she  would  n't  have  to  shout. 

"  Now  then,"  said  she,  after  pausing  a  little,  as  if 
she  wanted  to  be  sure  and  get  it  right,  "you  two  saved 
my  life,  and  I  want  to  give  you  something  to  remem 
ber  me  by." 

We  both  exclaimed  against  this. 

"  You  need  n't  do  that,"  said  I,  "  for  I  'm  sure  that 
no  one  who  saw  you  coming  up  from  the  bottom,  like 
the  fairy-women  float  up  on  wires  at  the  theatre, 
could  ever  forget  you.  We  '11  remember  you,  Corny, 
without  your  giving  us  anything." 

"But  that  wont  do,"   said  she.     "The  only  other 


124  A    JOLLY   FELLOWSHIP. 

time  that  I  was  ever  really  saved  was  by  a  ferryman, 
and  father  gave  him  some  money,  which  was  all  right 
for  him,  but  would  n't  do  for  you  two,  you  know;  and 
another  time  there  was  n't  really  any  danger,  and  I  'm 
sorry  the  man  got  anything ;  but  he  did. 

"  We  brought  scarcely  anything  with  us,  because  we 
did  n't  expect  to  need  things  in  this  way ;  but  this  is 
my  own,  and  I  want  to  give  it  to  you  both.  One  of 
you  can't  use  it  by  himself,  and  so  it  will  be  more  like 
a  present  for  both  of  you  together,  than  most  things 
would  be."  And  she  handed  me  a  box  of  dominoes. 

"  I  give  it  to  you  because  you  're  the  oldest,  but, 
remember,  it 's  for  both  of  you." 

Of  course  we  took  it,  and  Corny  was  much  pleased. 
She  was  a  good  little  girl  and,  somehow  or  other,  she 
seemed  to  be  older  and  more  sensible  when  she  was 
with  us  than  when  she  was  bouncing  around  in  the 
bosom  of  her  family. 

We  had  a  good  deal  of  talk  together,  and,  after  a 
while,  she  asked  how  long  we  were  going  to  stay  in 
St.  Augustine. 

"Until  next  Tuesday,"  I  said,  "and  then  we  shall 
start  for  Nassau  in  the  'Tigris.' ' 

"  Nassau  !  "  she  exclaimed,  "  where  's  that  ?  " 

"  Right  down  there,"  I  said,  pointing  out  to  sea 
with  a  crook  of  my  ringer,  to  the  south.  "  It 's  on 
one  of  the  Bahamas,  and  they  lie  off  the  lower  end  of 
Florida,  you  know." 

"No,"  said  she;  "I  don't  remember  where  they 
are.  I  always  get  the  Bahamas  mixed  up  with  the 
Bermudas,  anyway.  So  does  father.  We  talked  of 


THE  THREE  GRAY  BEANS.       125 

going  to  one  of  those  places,  when  we  first  thought  of 
travelling  for  his  lung,  but  then  they  thought  Florida 
would  be  better.  What  is  there  good  about  Nassau  ? 
Is  it  any  better  than  this  place  ?  " 

11  Well,"  said  I,  "  it 's  in  the  West  Indies,  and  it  's 
semi-tropical,  and  they  have  cocoa-nuts  and  pine 
apples  and  bananas  there;  and  there  are  lots  of 
darkeys,  and  the  weather  is  always  just  what  you 
want " 

"I  guess  that 's  a  little  stretched,"  said  Corny,  and 
Rectus  agreed  with  her. 

"  And  it 's  a  new  kind  of  a  place,"  I  continued ; 
"an  English  colony,  such  as  our  ancestors  lived  in 
before  the  Revolution,  and  we  ought  to  see  what  sort 
of  a  thing  an  English  colony  is,  so  as  to  know  whether 
Washington  and  the  rest  of  them  should  have  kicked 
against  it." 

"  Oh,  they  were  all  right !  "  said  Corny,  in  a  tone 
which  settled  that  little  matter. 

"And  so,  you  see,"  I  went  on,  "Rectus  and  I 
thought  we  should  like  to  go  out  of  the  country  for  a 
while,  and  see  how  it  would  feel  to  live  under  a  queen 
and  a  cocoa-nut  tree." 

"  Good  !  "  cried  Corny.     "  We  '11  go." 

"Who?"  I  asked. 

"Father  and  mother  and  I,"  said  Corny,  rising. 
"  I  '11  tell  them  all  about  it ;  and  I  'd  better  be  going 
back  to  the  hotel,  for  if  the  steamer  leaves  on  Tues 
day,  we  '11  have  lots  to  do." 

As  we  were  walking  homeward  on  the  sea-wall, 
Rectus  looked  back  and  suddenly  exclaimed  : 


126  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  There  !  Do  you  see  that  Crowded  Owl  following 
us  ?  He  's  been  hanging  round  us  all  the  afternoon. 
He  's  up  to  something.  Don't  you  remember  the 
captain  told  us  he  was  a  bad-tempered  fellow  ?  " 

"What  did  he  do?"  asked  Corny,  looking  back  at 
the  Indian,  who  now  stood  in  the  road,  a  short  dis 
tance  from  the  wall,  regarding  us  very  earnestly. 

"  Well,  he  never  did  anything,  much,"  I  said.  "He 
seemed  to  be  angry,  once,  because  we  would  not  buy 
some  of  his  things,  and  the  captain  said  he  'd  have 
him  told  not  to  worry  us.  That  may  have  made  him 
madder  yet." 

"  He  don't  look  mad,"  said  Corny. 

"  Don't  you  trust  him,"  said  Rectus. 

"  I  believe  all  these  Indians  are  perfectly  gentle, 
now,"  said  Corny,  "  and  father  thinks  so,  too.  He  's 
been  over  here  a  good  deal,  and  talked  to  some  of 
them.  Let  's  go  ask  him  what  he  wants.  Perhaps 
he  's  only  sorry." 

"  If  he  is,  we  '11  never  find  it  out,"  I  remarked,  "for 
he  can  only  speak  one  word  of  English." 

I  beckoned  to  Crowded  Owl,  and  he  immediately 
ran  up  to  the  wall,  and  said  "  How  ?"  in  an  uncertain 
tone,  as  if  he  was  not  sure  how  we  should  take  it. 
However,  Corny  offered  him  her  hand,  and  Rectus 
and  I  followed  suit.  After  this,  he  put  his  hand  into 
his  pocket,  and  pulled  out  three  sea-beans. 

"There!"  said  Rectus.  "At  it  again.  Disobey 
ing  military  orders." 

"  But  they  're  pretty  ones,"  said  Corny,  taking  one 
of  the  beans  in  her  hand. 


THE  THREE  GRAY  BEANS.       127 

They  were  pretty.  They  were  not  very  large,  but 
were  beautifully  polished,  and  of  a  delicate  gray  color, 
the  first  we  had  seen  of  the  kind. 

"These  must  be  a  rare  kind,"  said  Rectus.  "They 
are  almost  always  brown.  "  Let  's  forgive  him  this 
once,  and  buy  them." 

"  Perhaps  he  wants  to  make  up  with  you,"  said 
Corny,  "and  has  brought  these  as  a  present." 

"  I  can  soon  settle  that  question,"  said  I,  and  I  took 
the  three  beans,  and  pulled  from  my  pocket  three 
quarter-dollars,  which  I  offered  to  the  Indian. 

Crowded  Owl  took  the  money,  grinned,  gave  a  bob 
of  his  head,  and  went  home  happy. 

If  he  had  had  any  wish  to  "  make  up  "  with  us,  he 
had  shown  it  by  giving  us  a  chance  at  a  choice  lot  of 
goods. 

"  Now,"  said  I,  reaching  out  my  hand  to  Corny, 
"  here  's  one  for  each  of  us.  Take  your  choice." 

"For  me?"  said  Corny.  "No,  I  ought  n't  to. 
Yes,  I  will,  too.  I  am  ever  so  much  obliged.  We 
have  lots  of  sea-beans,  but  none  like  this.  I  '11  have 
a  ring  fastened  to  it,  and  wear  it,  somehow." 

"That  '11  do  to  remember  us  by,"  said  I. 

"  Yes,"  said  Rectus,  "  and  whenever  you  're  in 
danger,  just  hold  up  that  bean,  and  we  '11  come  to  you." 

"  I  '11  do  it,"  said  Corny.  "  But  how  about  you  ? 
What  can  I  do  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  don't  suppose  we  shall  want  you  to  help  us 
much,"  I  said. 

"  Well,  hold  up  your  beans,  and  we  '11  see,"  said 
Corny. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE   QUEEN    ON   THE   DOOR-STEP. 

WE  found  that  Corny  had  not  been  mista^r*1  about 
her  influence  over  her  family,  for  the  next  morn 
ing,  before  we  were  done  breakfast,  Mr.  Chipperton 
came  around  to  see  us.  He  was  full  of  Nassau,  and 
had  made  up  his  mind  to  go  with  us  on  Tuesday. 
He  asked  us  lots  of  questions,  but  he  really  knew  as 
much  about  the  place  as  we  did,  although  he  had 
been  so  much  in  the  habit  of  mixing  his  Bahamas 
and  his  Bermudas. 

"  My  wife  is  very  much  pleased  at  the  idea  of  hav 
ing  you  two  with  us  on  the  trip  over,"  said  he; 
"  although,  to  be  sure,  we  may  have  a  very  smooth 
and  comfortable  voyage." 

I  believe  that,  since  the  Silver  Spring  affair,  he 
regarded  Rectus  and  me  as  something  in  the  nature 
of  patent  girl-catchers,  to  be  hung  over  the  side  of  the 
vessel  in  bad  weather. 

We  were  sorry  to  leave  St.  Augustine,  but  we  had 
thoroughly  done  up  the  old  place,  and  had  seen 

128 


THE    QUEEN    ON    THE    DOOR-STEP.        11>9 

everything,  I  think,  except  the  Spring  of  Ponce  de 
Leon,  on  the  other  side  of  the  St.  Sebastian  River. 
We  did  n't  care  about  renewing  our  youth, —  indeed, 
we  should  have  objected  very  much  to  anything  of  the 
kind, — and  so  we  felt  no  interest  in  old  Ponce's  spring. 

On  Tuesday  morning,  the  "  Tigris  "  made  her  ap 
pearance  on  time,  and  Mr.  Cholott  and  our  good  land 
lady  came  down  to  see  us  off.  The  yellow-legged 
party  also  came  down,  but  not  to  see  us  off.  They, 
too,  were  going  to  Nassau. 

Rectus  had  gone  on  board,  and  I  was  just  about  to 
follow  him,  when  our  old  Minorcan  stepped  up  to  me. 

"  Goin'  away  ?"  said  he. 

"Yes,"  said  I,  "we  're  off  at  last." 

"Other  feller  goin'?" 

"Oh,  yes,"  I  answered,  "we  keep  together." 

"Well  now,  look  here,"  said  he,  drawing  me  a  little 
on  one  side.  "  What  made  him  take  sich  stock  in  us 
Minorcans  ?  Why,  he  thought  we  used  to  be  slaves  ; 
what  put  that  in  his  head,  I  'd  like  to  know  ?  Did  he 
reely  think  we  ever  was  niggers  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no  !"  I  exclaimed.  "  He  had  merely  heard 
the  early  history  of  the  Minorcans  in  this  country, 
their  troubles  and  all  that,  and  he " 

"  But  what  difference  did  it  make  to  him  ?  "  inter 
rupted  the  old  man. 

I  could  n't  just  then  explain  the  peculiarities  of 
Rectus's  disposition  to  Mr.  Menendez,  and  so  I  an 
swered  that  I  supposed  it  was  a  sort  of  sympathy. 

"  I  can't  see,  for  the  life  of  me,"  said  the  old  man, 
reflectively,  "what  difference  it  made  to  him." 
6* 


130  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

And  he  shook  hands  with  me,  and  bade  me  good 
bye.  I  don't  believe  he  has  ever  found  anybody  who 
could  give  him  the  answer  to  this  puzzle. 

The  trip  over  to  Nassau  was  a  very  different  thing 
from  our  voyage  down  the  coast  from  New  York  to 
Savannah.  The  sea  was  comparatively  smooth,  and, 
although  the  vessel  rolled  a  good  deal  in  the  great 
swells,  we  did  not  mind  it  much.  The  air  was  de 
lightful,  and  after  we  had  gone  down  the  Florida 
coast,  and  had  turned  to  cross  the  Gulf  Stream  to  our 
islands,  the  weather  became  positively  warm,  even  out 
here  on  the  sea,  and  we  were  on  deck  nearly  all  the 
time. 

Mr.  Chipperton  was  in  high  spirits.  He  enjoyed 
the  deep  blue  color  of  the  sea ;  he  went  into  ecstasies 
over  the  beautiful  little  nautiluses  that  sailed  along  by 
the  ship ;  he  watched  with  wild  delight  the  porpoises 
that  followed  close  by  our  side,  and  fairly  shouted 
when  a  big  fellow  would  spring  into  the  air,  or  shoot 
along  just  under  the  surface,  as  if  he  had  a  steam- 
engine  in  his  tail.  But  when  he  saw  a  school  of  fly 
ing-fish  rise  up  out  of  the  sea,  just  a  little  ahead  of  us, 
and  go  skimming  along  like  birds,  and  then  drop 
again  into  the  water,  he  was  so  surprised  and  delighted 
that  he  scarcely  knew  how  to  express  his  feelings. 

Of  course,  we  younger  people  enjoyed  all  these 
things,  but  I  was  surprised  to  see  that  Corny  was 
more  quiet  than  usual,  and  spent  a  good  deal  of  her 
time  in  reading,  although  she  would  spring  up  and  run 
to  the  railing  whenever  her  father  announced  some 
wonderful  discovery.  Mr.  Chipperton  would  have 


THE    QUEEN    ON    THE    DOOR-STEP.        131 

been  a  splendid  man  for  Columbus  to  have  taken 
along  with  him  on  his  first  trip  to  these  islands.  He 
would  have  kept  up  the  spirits  of  the  sailors. 

I  asked  Corny  what  she  was  reading,  and  she 
showed  me  her  book.  It  was  a  big,  fat  pamphlet 
about  the  Bahamas,  and  she  was  studying  up  for  her 
stay  there.  She  was  a  queer  girl.  She  had  not  been 
to  school  very  much,  her  mother  said,  for  they  had 
been  travelling  about  a  good  deal  of  late  years  ;  but 
she  liked  to  study  up  special  things,  in  which  she  took 
an  interest.  Sometimes  she  was  her  own  teacher, 
and  sometimes,  if  they  staid  in  any  one  place  long 
enough,  she  took  regular  lessons. 

"  I  teach  her  as  much  as  I  can,"  said  her  mother, 
"  although  I  would  much  rather  have  her  go  regularly 
to  school.  But  her  father  is  so  fond  of  her  that  he 
will  not  have  her  away  from  him,  and  as  Mr.  Chip- 
perton's  lung  requires  him  to  be  moving  from  place  to 
place,  we  have  to  go,  too.  But  I  am  determined  that 
she  shall  go  to  a  school  next  fall." 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  Mr.  Chipperton's  lung  ?  " 
I  asked. 

"  I  wish  we  knew,"  said  Mrs.  Chipperton,  earnestly. 
"  The  doctors  don't  seem  to  be  able  to  find  out  the 
exact  trouble,  and  besides,  it  is  n't  certain  which  lung 
it  is.  But  the  only  thing  that  can  be  done  for  it  is  to 
travel." 

"  He  looks  very  well,"  said  I. 

"Oh,  yes!"  said  she.  "But"— and  she  looked 
around  to  see  where  he  was — "  he  does  n't  like  peo 
ple  to  tell  him  so." 


132  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

After  a  while,  Rectus  got  interested  in  Corny's 
book,  and  the  two  read  a  good  deal  together.  I  did 
not  interrupt  them,  for  I  felt  quite  sure  that  neither  of 
them  knew  too  much. 

The  captain  and  all  the  officers  on  the  steamer 
were  good,  sociable  men,  and  made  the  passengers 
feel  at  home.  I  had  got  somewhat  acquainted  with 
them  on  our  trip  from  Savannah  to  St.  Augustine, 
and  now  the  captain  let  me  come  into  his  room  and 
showed  me  the  ship's  course,  marked  out  on  a  chart, 
and  pointed  out  just  where  we  were,  besides  telling 
me  a  good  many  things  about  the  islands  and  these 
waters. 

I  mentioned  to  Corny  and  Rectus,  when  I  went  aft 
again, —  this  was  the  second  day  out, — that  we  should 
see  one  end  of  the  Great  Bahama  early  in  the  afternoon. 

"  I  'm  glad  of  that,"  said  Corny  ;  "  but  I  suppose  we 
sha'n't  go  near  enough  for  us  to  see  its  calcareous 
formation." 

"  Its  what  ?  "  I  exclaimed. 

"  Its  cal-car-e-ous  formation,"  repeated  Corny,  and 
she  went  on  with  her  reading. 

"  Oh  !  "  said  I,  laughing,  "  I  guess  the  calcareous 
part  is  all  covered  up  with  grass  and  plants, —  at  least 
it  ought  to  be  in  a  semi-tropical  country.  But  when 
we  get  to  Nassau  you  can  dig  down  and  see  what  it  's 
like." 

"  Semi-tropical ! "  exclaimed  Mr.  Chipperton,  who 
just  came  up  ;  "  there  is  something  about  that  word 
that  puts  me  all  in  a  glow,"  and  he  rubbed  his  hands 
as  if  he  smelt  dinner. 


THE    QUEEN    ON    THE    DOOR-STEP.        133 

Each  of  us  wore  a  gray  bean.  Rectus  and  I  had 
ours  fastened  to  our  watch-guards,  and  Corny's  hung 
to  a  string  of  beads  she  generally  wore.  We  formed 
ourselves  into  a  society  —  Corny  suggested  it  —  which 
we  called  the  "Association  of  the  Three  Gray  Beans," 
the  object  of  which  was  to  save  each  other  from 
drowning,  and  to  perform  similar  serviceable  acts,  if 
circumstances  should  call  for  them.  We  agreed  to  be 
very  faithful,  and,  if  Corny  had  tumbled  overboard,  I 
am  sure  that  Rectus  and  I  would  have  jumped  in  after 
her  ;  but  I  am  happy  to  say  that  she  did  nothing  of  the 
kind  on  this  trip. 

Early  the  next  morning,  we  reached  Nassau,  the 
largest  town  in  the  Bahamas,  on  one  of  the  smallest 
islands,  and  found  it  semi-tropical  enough  to  suit  even 
Mr.  Chipperton. 

Before  we  landed,  we  could  see  the  white,  shining 
streets  and  houses, — just  as  calcareous  as  they  could 
be ;  the  black  negroes  ;  the  pea-green  water  in  the 
harbor;  the  tall  cocoa-nut  trees,  and  about  five  million 
conch-shells,  lying  at  the  edges  of  the  docks.  The 
colored  people  here  live  pretty  much  on  the  conch- 
fish,  and  when  we  heard  that,  it  accounted  for  the 
shells.  The  poorer  people  on  these  islands  often  go 
by  the  name  of  "  conchs." 

As  we  went  up  through  the  town  we  found  that  the 
darkeys  were  nearly  as  thick  as  the  conch-shells,  but 
they  were  much  more  lively.  I  never  saw  such  jolly, 
dont-care-y  people  as  the  colored  folks  that  were  scat 
tered  about  everywhere.  Some  of  the  young  ones, 
as  joyful  skippers,  could  have  tired  out  a  shrimp. 


134  A    JOLLY   FELLOWSHIP. 

There  is  one  big  hotel  in  the  town,  and  pretty 
nearly  all  our  passengers  went  there.  The  house  is 
calcareous,  and  as  solid  as  a  rock.  Rectus  and  I  liked 
it  very  much,  because  it  reminded  us  of  pictures  we 
had  seen  of  Algiers,  or  Portugal,  or  some  country 
where  they  have  arches  instead  of  doors ;  but  Mr. 
Chipperton  was  n't  at  all  satisfied  when  he  found  that 
there  was  not  a  fireplace  in  the  whole  house. 

"This  is  coming  the  semi-tropical  a  little  too 
strong,"  he  said  to  me ;  but  he  soon  found,  I  think, 
that  gathering  around  the  hearth-stone  could  never 
become  a  popular  amusement  in  this  warm  little 
town. 

Every  day,  for  a  week,  Mr.  Chipperton  hired  a 
one-horse  barouche,  and  he  and  his  wife  and  daughter 
rode  over  the  island.  Rectus  and  I  walked,  and  we 
saw  a  good  deal  more  than  they  did.  Corny  told  us 
this,  the  first  walk  she  took  with  us.  We  went  down  a 
long,  smooth,  white  road  that  led  between  the  queer 
little  cottages  of  the  negroes,  where  the  cocoa-nut 
and  orange  trees  and  the  bananas  and  sappadilloes, 
and  lots  of  other  trees  and  bushes  stood  up  around 
the  houses  just  as  proudly  as  if  they  were  growing  on 
ten-thousand-dollar  lots.  Some  of  these  trees  had  the 
most  calcareous  foundations  anybody  ever  saw.  They 
grew  almost  out  of  the  solid  rock.  This  is  probably 
one  of  the  most  economical  places  in  the  world  for 
garden  mould.  You  could  n't  sweep  up  more  than  a 
bucketful  out  of  a  whole  garden,  and  yet  the  things 
grow  splendidly.  Rectus  said  he  supposed  the  air 
was  earthy. 


THE    QUEEN    ON    THE    DOOR-STEP.        135 

Corny  enjoyed  this  walk,  because  we  went  right 
into  the  houses  and  talked  to  the  people,  and  bought 
cocoa-nuts  off  the  trees,  and  ate  the  inside  custard 
with  a  spoon,  and  made  the  little  codgers  race  for 
pennies,  and  tried  all  the  different  kinds  of  fruits.  She 
said  she  would  like  to  walk  out  with  us  always,  but 
her  mother  said  she  must  not  be  going  about  too 
much  with  boys. 

"  But  there  are  no  girls  on  the  island,"  said  she  ; 
"  at  least,  no  white  ones, — as  far  as  I  have  seen." 

I  suppose  there  were  white  children  around,  but 
they  escaped  notice  in  the  vast  majority  of  little  nigs. 

The  day  after  this  walk,  the  shorter  "  yellow- legs  " 
asked  me  to  go  out  fishing  with  him.  He  could  n't 
find  anybody  else,  I  suppose,  for  his  friend  did  n't  like 
fishing.  Neither  did  Rectus ;  and  so  we  went  off 
together  in  a  fishing-smack,  with  a  fisherman  to  sail 
the  boat  and  hammer  conch  for  bait.  We  went  out 
side  of  Hog  Island, —  which  lies  off  Nassau,  very  much 
as  Anastasia  Island  lies  off  St.  Augustine,  only  it 
is  n't  a  quarter  as  big, —  and  fished  in  the  open  sea. 
We  caught  a  lot  of  curious  fish,  and  the  yellow-legs, 
whose  name  was  Burgan,  turned  out  to  be  a  very 
good  sort  of  a  fellow.  I  should  n't  have  supposed 
this  of  a  man  who  had  made  such  a  guy  of  himself; 
but  there  are  a  great  many  different  kinds  of  outsides 
to  people. 

When  we  got  back  to  the  hotel,  along  came  Rectus 
and  Corny.  They  had  been  out  walking  together, 
and  looked  hot. 

"  Oh,"  cried  Corny,  as  soon  as  she  saw  me.      "We 


136  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

have  something  to  talk  to  you  about !  Let  's  go  and 
sit  down.  I  wish  there  was  some  kind  of  an  umbrella 
or  straw  hat  that  people  could  wear  under  their  chins 
to  keep  the  glare  of  these  white  roads  out  of  their 
eyes.  Let 's  go  up  into  the  silk-cotton  tree." 

I  proposed  that  I  should  go  to  my  room  and 
clean  up  a  little  first,  but  Corny  could  n't  wait.  As 
her  father  had  said,  she  was  n't  good  at  waiting ;  and 
so  we  all  went  up  into  the  silk-cotton  tree.  This 
was  an  enormous  tree,  with  roots  like  the  partitions 
between  horse-stalls  ;  it  stood  at  the  bottom  of  the 
hotel  grounds,  and  had  a  large  platform  built  up 
among  the  branches,  with  a  flight  of  steps  leading  to 
it.  There  were  seats  up  here,  and  room  enough  for  a 
dozen  people. 

4<  Well,"  said  I,  when  we  were  seated,  "  what  have 
you  to  tell?  Anything  wonderful  ?  If  it  is  n't,  you  'd 
better  let  me  tell  you  about  my  fish." 

"  Fish  !  "  exclaimed  Rectus,  not  very  respectfully. 

"  Fish,  indeed  !  "  said  Corny.  "  We  have  seen  a 
queen  !  " 

"  Queen  of  what  ?  "  said  I. 

"  Queen  of  Africa,"  replied  Corny.  "  At  least  a 
part  of  it, — she  would  be,  I  mean,  if  she  had  stayed 
there.  We  went  over  that  way,  out  to  the  very  edge 
of  the  town,  and  there  we  found  a  whole  colony  of 
real  native  Africans, — just  the  kind  Livingstone  and 
Stanley  discovered, —  only  they  wear  clothes  like  us." 

"  Oh,  my  !  "  exclaimed  Rectus. 

"I  don't  mean  exactly  that,"  said  Corny;  "but 
coats  and  trousers  and  frocks,  awfully  old  and  patched 


THE    QUEEN    ON    THE    DOOR-STEP.        137 

And  nearly  all  the  grown-up  people  there  were  born 
in  Africa,  and  rescued  by  an  English  man-of-war  from 
a  slave-ship  that  was  taking  them  into  slavery,  and  were 
brought  here  and  set  free.  And  here  they  are,  and 
they  talk  their  own  language, —  only  some  of  them 
know  English,  for  they  've  been  here  over  thirty 
years, —  and  they  all  keep  together,  and  have  a 
governor  of  their  own,  with  a  flag-pole  before  his 
house,  and  among  them  is  a  real  queen,  of  royal 
blood !  " 

"  How  did  you  find  out  that  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Oh,  we  heard  about  the  African  settlement  this 
morning,  at  the  hotel,  and  we  went  down  there,  right 
after  dinner.  We  went  into  two  or  three  of  the 
houses  and  talked  to  the  people,  and  they  all  told  us 
the  same  thing,  and  one  woman  took  us  to  see  the 
queen." 

"  In  her  palace  ?  "  said  I. 

"  No,"  said  Corny,  "she  don't  live  in  a  palace.  She 
lives  in  one  of  the  funniest  little  huts  you  ever  saw, 
with  only  two  rooms.  And  it  's  too  bad ;  they  all 
know  she  's  a  queen,  and  yet  they  don't  pay  her  one 
bit  of  honor.  The  African  governor  knows  it,  but  he 
lives  in  his  house  with  his  flag-pole  in  front  of  it,  and 
rules  her  people,  while  she  sits  on  a  stone  in  front  of 
her  door  and  sells  red  peppers  and  bits  of  sugar-cane." 

"  Shameful !  "  said  I ;   "  you  don't  mean  that?  " 

"Yes,  she  does,"  put  in  Rectus.  "We  saw  her, 
and  bought  some  sugar-cane.  She  did  n't  think  we 
knew  her  rank,  for  she  put  her  things  away  when  the 
women  told  her,  in  African,  why  we  came  to  see  her." 


138  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  What  did  she  say  to  you  ?"  I  asked,  beginning  to 
be  a  good  deal  interested  in  this  royal  colored  person. 

"  Nothing  at  all,"  said  Corny  ;  "  she  can't  talk  a 
word  of  English.  If  she  could,  she  might  get  along 
better.  I  suppose  her  people  want  somebody  over 
them  who  can  talk  English.  And  so  they  've  just 
left  her  to  sell  peppers,  and  get  along  as  well  as  she 
can." 

"  It  's  a  good  deal  of  a  come-down,  I  must  say," 
said  I.  "  I  wonder  how  she  likes  it  ?" 

" Judging  from  her  looks,"  said  Rectus,  "I  don't 
believe  she  likes  it  at  all." 

"  No,  indeed  !  "  added  Corny.  "  She  looks  woe 
begone,  and  I  don't  see  why  she  should  n't.  To  be 
taken  captive  with  her  people — may  be  she  was  try 
ing  to  save  them  —  and  then  to  have  them  almost  cut 
her  acquaintance  after  they  all  get  rescued  and  settled 
down  !  " 

"Perhaps,"  said  I,  "as  they  are  all  living  under 
Queen  Victoria,  they  don't  want  any  other  queen." 

"That's  nothing,"  said  Corny,  quickly.  "There  's 
a  governor  of  this  whole  island,  and  what  do  they 
want  with  another  governor  ?  If  Queen  Victoria  and 
the  governor  of  this  island  were  Africans,  of  course 
they  would  n't  want  anybody  else.  But  as  it  is,  they 
do,  don't  you  see?" 

"  They  don't  appear  to  want  another  queen,"  I 
said,  "  for  they  wont  take  one  that  is  right  under 
their  noses." 

Corny  looked  provoked,  and  Rectus  asked  me  how 
I  knew  that 


THE    QUEEN    ON    THE    DOOR-STEP. 

"  I  tell  you,"  said  Corny,  "it  don't  make  any  differ 
ence  whether  they  want  her  or  not,  they  have  n't  any 
right  to  make  a  born  queen  sit  on  a  stone  and  sell 
red-peppers.  Do  you  know  what  Rectus  and  I  have 
made  up  our  minds  to  do  ?  " 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  I  asked. 

Corny  looked  around  to  see  that  no  one  was  stand 
ing  or  walking  near  the  tree,  and  then  she  leaned 
toward  me  and  said  : 

"  We  are  going  to  seat  her  on  her  throne  ! " 

"  You  ?  "  I  exclaimed,  and  began  to  laugh. 

"  Yes,  we  are,"  said  Rectus  ;  "  at  least,  we  're  going 
to  try  to." 

"  You  need  n't  laugh,"  said  Corny.  "  You  're  to 
join." 

"  In  an  insurrection, — a  conspiracy,"  said  I.  "  I 
can't  go  into  that  business." 

"  You  must !  "  cried  Corny  and  Rectus,  almost  in  a 
breath. 

"  You  've  made  a  promise,"  said  Corny. 

"And  are  bound  to  stick  to  it,"  said  Rectus,  looking 
at  Corny. 

Then,  both  together,  as  if  they  had  settled  it  all 
beforehand,  they  held  up  their  gray  sea-beans,  and 
said,  in  vigorous  tones : 

"  Obey  the  bean  !  " 

I  did  n't  hesitate  a  moment.  I  held  up  my  bean, 
and  we  clicked  beans  all  around. 

I  became  a  conspirator  ! 


CHAPTER  XL 

REGAL   PROJECTS. 

THE  next  morning,  we  all  went  around  to  see  the 
queen,  and  on  the  way  we  tried  to  arrange  our 
affair.  I  was  only  sorry  that  my  old  school-fellows 
were  not  there,  to  go  into  the  thing  with  us.  There 
could  n't  have  been  better  fun  for  our  boys,  than  to 
get  up  a  revolution  and  set  up  a  dethroned  queen. 
But  they  were  not  there,  and  I  determined  to  act 
as  their  representative  as  well  as  I  could. 

We  three — Corny,  Rectus  and  I  —  were  agreed 
that  the  re-enthronement — we  could  think  of  no  bet 
ter  word  for  the  business  —  should  be  done  as  quietly 
and  peacefully  as  possible.  It  was  of  no  use,  we 
thought,  to  make  a  great  fuss  about  what  we  were 
going  to  do.  We  would  see  that  this  African  ex-sover- 
eigness  was  placed  in  a  suitable  regal  station,  and  then 
we  would  call  upon  her  countrymen  to  acknowledge 
her  rank. 

"  It  is  n't  really  necessary  for  her  to  do  any  govern 
ing,"  said  Rectus.  '*  Queens  do  very  little  of  that 

140 


REGAL    PROJECTS.  141 

Look  at  Queen  Victoria !  Her  Prime  Minister  and 
Parliament  run  the  country.  If  the  African  governor 
here  is  a  good  man,  the  queen  can  take  him  for  a 
Prime  Minister.  Then  he  can  just  go  along  and  do 
what  he  always  did.  If  she  is  acknowledged  to  be  the 
queen,  that  's  all  she  need  want" 

"That's  so,"  said  Corny.  "  And,  above  all,  there 
must  be  no  blood  shed." 

"  None  of  yours,  any  way,"  said  I ;  and  Rectus 
tapped  his  bean,  significantly. 

Rectus  had  been  chosen  captain  of  this  revolution 
ary  coalition,  because  Corny,  who  held  the  controlling 
vote,  said  that  she  was  afraid  I  had  not  gone  into  the 
undertaking  heart  and  soul,  as  Rectus  had.  Other 
wise,  she  would  have  voted  for  me,  as  the  oldest  of  the 
party.  I  did  not  make  any  objections,  and  was  elected 
Treasurer.  Corny  said  that  the  only  office  she  had 
ever  held  was  that  of  Librarian,  in  a  girls'  society,  but 
as  we  did  not  expect  to  need  a  Librarian  in  this 
undertaking,  we  made  her  Secretary  and  Manager  of 
Restoration,  which,  we  thought,  would  give  her  all  the 
work  that  she  could  stand  under. 

I  suggested  that  there  was  one  sub-officer,  or  em 
ploye,  that  we  should  be  sure  to  need,  and  who  should 
be  appointed  before  we  commenced  operations.  This 
was  an  emissary.  Proper  communications  between 
ourselves  and  the  populace  would  be  difficult,  unless 
we  obtained  the  service  of  some  intelligent  and  whole- 
souled  darkey.  My  fellow-revolutionists  agreed  with 
me,  and,  after  a  moment  of  reflection,  Corny  shouted 
that  she  had  thought  of  the  very  person. 


142  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  It  's  a  girl !  "  she  cried.      "  And  it  's  Priscilla  !  " 

We  all  knew  Priscilla.  It  would  have  been  impossi- 
ble  to  be  at  the  hotel  for  a  week  and  not  know 
her.  After  breakfast,  and  after  dinner,  there  was 
always  a  regular  market  at  the  entrance  of  the  hotel, 
under  the  great  arched  porch,  where  the  boarders  sat 
and  made  themselves  comfortable  after  meals.  The 
dealers  were  negroes  of  every  age, —  men,  women, 
boys,  and  girls,  and  they  brought  everything  they 
could  scrape  up,  that  they  thought  visitors  might  buy, 
—  fruit,  shells,  sponges,  flowers,  straw  hats,  canes, 
and  more  traps  than  I  can  remember.  Some  of  them 
had  very  nice  things,  and  others  would  have  closed 
out  their  stock  for  seven  cents.  The  liveliest  and 
brightest  of  all  these  was  a  tall,  slim,  black,  elastic, 
smooth-tongued  young  girl,  named  Priscilla.  She 
nearly  always  wore  shoes,  which  distinguished  her 
from  her  fellow-countrywomen.  Her  eyes  sparkled 
like  a  fire-cracker  of  a  dark  night,  and  she  had  a 
mind  as  sharp  as  a  fish-hook.  The  moment  Corny 
mentioned  her  she  was  elected  emissary. 

We  determined,  however,  to  be  very  cautious  in  dis 
closing  our  plans  to  her.  We  would  sound  her,  first, 
and  make  a  regular  engagement  with  her. 

"  It  will  be  a  first-rate  thing  for  me,"  said  Corny, 
"  to  have  a  girl  to  go  about  with  me,  for  mother  said, 
yesterday,  that  it  would  n't  do  for  me  to  be  so  much 
with  boys.  It  looked  tomboyish,  she  said,  though 
she  thought  you  two  were  very  good  for  boys." 

"  Are  you  going  to  tell  your  father  and  mother 
about  this  ?  "  asked  Rectus. 


REGAL    PROJECTS.  143 

"  I  think  I  '11  tell  mother,"  said  Corny,  "  because  I 
ought  to,  and  I  don't  believe  she  '11  object,  if  I  have  a 
girl  along  with  me.  But  I  don't  think  I  '11  say  any 
thing  to  father  just  yet.  I  'm  afraid  he  'd  join." 

Rectus  and  I  agreed  that  it  might  be  better  to  post 
pone  saying  anything  to  Mr.  Chipperton. 

It  was  very  true  that  the  queen  did  not  live  in  a 
palace.  Her  house  was  nearly  large  enough  to  hold 
an  old-fashioned  four-posted  bedstead,  such  as  they 
have  at  my  Aunt  Sarah's.  The  little  room  that  was 
cut  off  from  the  main  apartment  was  really  too  small 
to  count.  The  queen  was  hard  at  work,  sitting  on  her 
door-stone  by  the  side  of  her  bits  of  sugar-cane  and 
pepper-pods.  There  were  no  customers.  She  was  a 
good-looking  old  body,  about  sixty,  perhaps,  but  tall 
and  straight  enough  for  all  queenly  purposes. 

She  arose  and  shook  hands  with  us,  and  then 
stepped  into  her  door- way  and  courtesied.  The  effect 
was  very  fine. 

"  This  is  dreadful  !  "  said  Corny.  "  She  ought  to 
give  up  this  pepper-pod  business  right  away.  Tf  I 
could  only  talk  to  her,  I  'd  make  her  understand.  But 
I  must  go  get  somebody  for  an  interpreter." 

And  she  ran  off  to  one  of  the  neighboring  huts. 

"  If  this  thing  works,"  said  Rectus,  "  we  ought  to 
hire  a  regular  interpreter." 

"It  wont  do  to  have  too  many  paid  officials,"  said 
I,  "but  we  '11  see  about  that." 

Corny  soon  returned  with  a  pleasant-faced  woman, 
who  undertook  to  superintend  our  conversation  with 
the  queen. 


144  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  What 's  her  name — to  begin  with?  "  asked  Corny, 
of  the  woman. 

"  Her  African  name  is  Poqua-dilla,  but  here  they 
call  her  Jane  Henderson,  when  they  talk  of  her.  She 
knows  that  name,  too.  We  all  has  to  have  English 
names." 

"  Well,  we  don't  want  any  Jane  Henderson,"  said 
Corny.  "  Poqua-dilla !  that  's  a  good  name  for  a 
queen.  But  what  we  first  want  is  to  have  her  stop 
selling  things  at  the  front  door.  We  '11  do  better  for 
her  than  that." 

"  Is  you  goin'  to  sen'  her  to  the  'sylum?"  asked  the 
woman. 

"The  asylum!"  exclaimed  Corny.  "  No,  indeed! 
You  '11  see.  She  's  to  live  here,  but  she  's  not  to  sell 
pepper-pods,  or  anything  else." 

"  Well,  young  missy,"  said  the  woman,  "  you  better 
buy  'em  of  her.  I  reckon  she  '11  sell  out  for'  bout 
fourpence." 

This  was  a  sensible  proposition,  and,  as  treasurer,  I 
bought  the  stock,  the  queen  having  signified  her 
willingness  to  the  treaty  by  a  dignified  nod  and  a 
courtesy.  She  was  very  much  given  to  style,  which 
encouraged  us  a  good  deal. 

"  Now,  then,"  said  Rectus,  who  thought  it  was 
about  time  that  the  captain  should  have  something  to 
say,  "  you  must  tell  her  that  she  is  n't  to  lay  in 
any  more  stock.  This  is  to  be  the  end  of  her  mercan 
tile  life." 

I  don't  believe  the  woman  translated  all  of  this 
speech,  but  the  queen  gave  another  nod  and  courtesy, 


REGAL    PROJECTS.  145 

and  I  pocketed  the  peppers  to  keep  as  trophies.  The 
other  things  we  kept,  to  give  to  the  children  and  make 
ourselves  popular. 

"  How  much  do  you  think  it  would  cost,"  asked 
Corny  of  me,  "  to  make  this  place  a  little  more  like  a 
palace?  " 

I  made  a  rough  sort  of  a  calculation,  and  came  to 
the  conclusion  that  the  room  could  be  made  a  little 
more  like  a  palace  for  about  eight  dollars. 

"That  's  cheap  enough,"  said  Rectus  to  me.  "You 
and  I  will  each  give  four  dollars." 

''No,  indeed  !"  said  Corny,  "i  m  going  to  give 
some.  How  much  is  three  into  eight  ?  " 

"  Two  and  two-thirds,"  said  I,  "  or,  in  this  case,  two 
dollars,  sixty-six  cents  and  some  sixes  over." 

"  All  right !  "  said  Corny  ;  "I  '11  ask  father  for  three 
dollars.  There  ought  to  be  something  for  extras.  I  '11 
tell  mother  what  I  want  it  for,  and  that  will  satisfy 
him.  He  can  know  afterward.  I  don't  think  he 
ought  to  worry  his  lung  with  anything  like  this." 

"  She  wont  want  a  throne,"  said  Rectus,  turning  the 
conversation  from  Mr.  Chipperton,  "  for  she  has  a 
very  good  rocking-chair,  which  could  be  fixed  up." 

"Yes,"  said  I,  "  it  could  be  cushioned.  She  might 
do  it  herself." 

At  this,  the  colored  woman  made  a  remark  to  the 
queen,  but  what  it  was  we  did  not  know. 

"  Of  course  she  could,"  said  Corny.  "  Queens 
work.  Queen  Victoria  etches  on  steel." 

"  I   don't  believe   Porker-miller  can   do  that,"  said 
Rectus,  "but  I  guess  she  can  pad  her  chair." 
7 


146  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"Do  thrones  rock  ?  "  asked  Corny. 

"  Some  of  'em  do,"  I  said.  "  There  was  the  throne 
of  France,  you  know." 

"Well,  then,  that  will  be  all  right,"  said  Corny; 
"  and  how  about  a  crown  and  sceptre  ?  " 

"  Oh,  we  wont  want  a  sceptre,"  I  said ;  "  that  sort 
of  thing  's  pretty  old-fashioned.  But  we  ought  to 
have  a  crown,  so  as  to  make  a  difference  between  her 
and  the  other  people." 

"  How  much  are  crowns  ? "  asked  Corny,  in  a 
thoughtful  tone. 

"  Various  prices,"  I  answered ;  "  but  I  think  we  can 
make  one,  that  will  do  very  well,  for  about  fifty  cents. 
I  '11  undertake  to  make  the  brass  part,  if  you  '11  cush 
ion  it." 

"  Brass  !  "  exclaimed  Corny,  in  astonishment. 

"You  don't  suppose  we  can  get  gold,  do  you?"  I 
asked,  laughing. 

"Well,  no,"  she  said,  but  not  quite  satisfied. 

"  And  there  must  be  a  flag  and  a  flag-pole,"  said 
Rectus.  "  But  what  sort  of  a  flag  are  we  going  to 
have  ?  " 

"The  African  flag,"  said  Corny,  confidently. 

None  of  us  knew  what  the  African  flag  was,  although 
Corny  suggested  that  it  was  probably  black.  But  I 
told  her  that  if  we  raised  a  black  flag  before  the  queen's 
palace,  we  should  bring  down  the  authorities  on  us, 
sure.  They  'd  think  we  had  started  a  retail  piratical 
establishment. 

We  now  took  leave  of  the  queen,  and  enjoined 
her  neighbor  to  impress  on  her  mind  the  necessity  of 


REGAL    PROJECTS.  147 

not  using  her  capital  to  lay  in  a  new  stock  of 
goods.  Leaving  a  quarter  of  a  dollar  with  her,  for 
contingent  expenses  during  the  day,  we  started  for 
home. 

"  I  '11  tell  you  what  it  is,"  said  I,  "  we  must  settle 
this  matter  of  revenue  pretty  soon.  If  she  don't  sell 
peppers  and  sugar-cane,  she  '11  have  to  be  supported 
in  some  way,  and  I  'm  sure  we  can't  do  it." 

"  Her  subjects  ought  to  attend  to  that,"  said  Rectus. 

"But  she  has  n't  got  any  yet,"  I  answered. 

"  That  's  a  fact,"  said  Corny.  "  We  must  get  her  a 
few,  to  start  with." 

"  Hire  'em,  do  you  mean  ?  "  asked  Rectus. 

"  No ;  call  upon  them  in  the  name  of  their  country 
and  their  queen,"  she  replied. 

"I  think  it  would  be  better,  at  first,"  said  I,  "to 
call  upon  them  in  the  name  of  about  twopence  a  head. 
Then,  when  we  get  a  nice  little  body  of  adherents  to 
begin  with,  the  other  subjects  will  fall  in,  of  their 
own  accord,  if  we  manage  the  thing  right." 

"  There  's  where  the  emissary  will  come  in,"  said 
Rectus.  "  She  can  collect  adherents." 

"  We  must  engage  her  this  very  day,"  said  Corny. 
"  And  now,  what  about  the  flag  ?  We  have  n't  set 
tled  that  yet" 

"  I  think,"  said  I,  "  that  we  'd  better  invent  a  flag. 
When  we  get  back  to  the  hotel,  we  can  each  draw 
some  designs,  and  the  one  we  choose  can  easily  be 
made  up.  We  can  buy  the  stuff  anywhere." 

"  I  '11  sew  it,"  said  Corny. 

"  Do  you  think,"  said  Rectus,  who  had  been  reflect- 


148  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

ing,  "  that  the  authorities  of  this  place  will  object  to 
our  setting  up  a  queen  ?  " 

"  Can't  tell,"  I  said.  "  But  I  hardly  think  they  will. 
They  don't  object  to  the  black  governor,  and  our 
queen  wont  interfere  with  them  in  any  way  that  I  can 
see.  She  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  anybody  but 
those  native  Africans,  who  keep  to  themselves,  any 
way." 

"  If  anybody  should  trouble  us,  who  would  it  be  ? 
Soldiers  or  the  policemen  ?  How  many  soldiers  have 
they  here  ?  "  asked  Corny. 

"  There  's  only  one  company  now  in  the  barracks," 
said  Rectus.  "  I  was  down  there.  There  are  two 
men-of-war  in  the  harbor,  but  one  of  them  's  a  Span 
ish  vessel,  and  I  'm  pretty  sure  she  would  n't  bother 
us." 

"  Is  that  all  ?  "  said  Corny,  in  a  tone  of  relief. 

I  did  n't  want  to  dash  her  spirits,  but  I  remarked 
that  there  were  a  good  many  policemen  in  the  town. 

"  And  they  're  all  colored  men,"  said  Corny.  "  I  'd 
hate  to  have  any  of  them  coming  after  us." 

"  The  governor  of  the  colony  is  at  the  head  of  the 
army,  police  and  all,  is  n't  he  ?  "  said  Rectus. 

"  Yes,"  I  answered. 

"  And  I  know  where  he  lives,"  put  in  Corny. 
"  Let  's  go  and  see  him,  sometime,  and  ask  him 
about  it." 

This  was  thought  to  be  a  good  idea,  and  we  agreed 
to  consider  it  at  our  next  meeting. 

"  As  to  revenue,"  said  Rectus,  just  before  we 
reached  the  hotel,  "  I  don't  believe  these  people  have 


REGAL    PROJECTS.  149 

much  money  to  give  for  the  support  of  a  queen,  and 
so  I  think  they  ought  to  bring  in  provisions.  The 
whole  thing  might  be  portioned  out.  She  ought  to 
have  so  many  conchs  a  week,  so  many  sticks  of  sugar 
cane,  and  so  many  yams  and  other  stuff.  This  might 
be  fixed  so  that  it  would  n't  come  hard  on  anybody." 

Corny  said  she  guessed  she  'd  have  to  get  a  little 
book  to  put  these  things  down,  so  that  we  could 
consider  them  in  order. 

I  could  not  help  noticing  that  there  was  a  good  deal 
of  difference  between  Corny  and  Rectus,  although 
they  were  much  alike,  too.  Corny  had  never  learned 
much,  but  she  had  a  good  brain  in  her  head,  and  she 
could  reason  out  things  pretty  well,  when  she  had  any 
thing  in  the  way  of  a  solid  fact  to  start  with.  Rectus 
was  better  on  things  he  'd  heard  reasoned  out.  He 
seemed  to  know  a  good  thing  when  it  came  before 
him,  and  he  remembered  it,  and  often  brought  it  in 
very  well.  But  he  had  n't  had  much  experience  in 
reasoning  on  his  own  account,  although  he  was  getting 
more  in  practice  every  day. 

Corny  was  just  as  much  in  earnest  as  she  was  the 
first  day  we  saw  her,  but  she  seemed  to  have  grown 
more  thoughtful.  Perhaps  this  was  on  account  of  her 
having  important  business  on  hand.  Her  thought- 
fulness,  however,  did  not  prevent  her  from  saying 
some  very  funny  things.  She  spoke  first  and  did  her 
thinking  afterward.  But  she  was  a  good  girl,  and  I 
often  wished  my  sister  knew  her.  Helen  was  older, 
to  be  sure,  but  she  could  have  learned  a  great  deal 
from  Corny. 


150  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

That  afternoon,  we  had  a  meeting  up  in  the  silk- 
cotton  tree,  and  Priscilla,  who  had  sold  out  her  small 
stock  of  flowers  in  the  hotel-door  market,  was 
requested  to  be  present.  A  variety-show,  consisting 
of  about  a  dozen  young  darkeys  with  their  baskets  and 
strings  of  sponges,  accompanied  her  up  the  steps ;  but 
she  was  ordered  to  rout  them,  and  she  did  it  in  short 
order.  When  we  were  alone,  Rectus,  as  captain, 
began  to  state  to  her  what  we  desired  of  her ;  but  he 
was  soon  interrupted  by  Corny,  who  could  do  a  great 
deal  more  talking  in  a  given  time  than  he  could,  and 
who  always  felt  that  she  ought  to  begin  early,  in  order 
to  get  through  in  good  season. 

"  Now,  Priscilla,"  said  Corny,  "  in  the  first  place, 
you  must  promise  never  to  tell  what  we  are  going 
to  say  to  you." 

Priscilla  promised  in  a  flash. 

"  We  want  you,  then,"  continued  Corny,  "  to  act  as 
our  emissary,  or  general  agent,  or  errand-girl,  if  you 
don't  know  what  the  other  two  things  mean." 

"  I  '11  do  dat,  missy,"  said  Priscilla.  "  Whar  you 
want  me  to  go  ?  " 

"Nowhere  just  now,"  said  Corny.  "We  want  to 
engage  you  by  the  day,  to  do  whatever  we  tell  you." 

"  Cahn't  do  dat,  missy.  Got  to  sell  flowers  and 
roses.  Sell  'em  for  de  fam'ly,  missy." 

"  But  in  the  afternoon  you  can  come,"  said  Corny. 
"There  is  n't  any  selling  done  then.  We  '11  pay  you." 

"  How  much  ?  "  asked  Priscilla. 

This  question  was  referred  to  me,  and  I  offered  six 
pence  a  day. 


REGAL    PROJECTS.  lol 

The  money  in  this  place  is  English,  of  course,  as  it 
is  an  English  colony;  but  there  are  so  many  visitors 
from  the  United  States,  that  American  currency  is 
as  much  in  use,  for  large  sums,  as  the  pounds-shil- 
lings-and-pence  arrangement.  But  all  sums  under 
a  quarter  are  reckoned  in  English  money, — pennies, 
half-pennies,  four,  six  and  eight-pences,  and  that  sort 
of  thing.  One  of  our  quarters  passes  for  a  shilling, 
but  a  silver  dime  wont  pass  in  the  shops.  The  darkeys 
will  take  them  —  or  almost  anything  else  —  as  a  gift. 
I  did  n't  have  to  get  our  money  changed  into  gold.  I 
got  a  draft  on  a  Nassau  house,  and  generally  drew 
greenbacks.  But  I  saw,  pretty  plainly,  that  I  could  n't 
draw  very  much  for  this  new  monarchical  undertaking, 
and  stay  in  Nassau  as  long  as  we  had  planned. 

"  A  whole  afternoon,"  exclaimed  Priscilla,  "  for  six 
pence  !  " 

"Why  not?"  I  asked.  "That's  more  than  you 
generally  make  all  day." 

"  Only  sixpence  !  "  said  Priscilla,  looking  as  if  her 
tender  spirit  had  been  wounded.  Corny  glanced  at 
me  with  an  air  that  suggested  that  I  ought  to  make  a 
rise  in  the  price,  but  I  had  dealt  with  these  darkeys 
before. 

"That  'sail,"  I  said. 

"All  right,  then,  boss,"  said  Priscilla.  "  I  '11  do  it. 
What  you  want  me  to  do?  " 

The  colored  people  generally  gave  the  name  "  boss" 
to  all  white  men,  and  I  was  pleased  to  see  that  Priscilla 
said  boss  to  me  much  more  frequently  than  to  Rectus. 

We  had  a  talk  with  her  about  her  duties,  and  each 


152  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP 

of  us  had  a  good  deal  to  say.  We  made  her  under 
stand —  at  least  we  hoped  so  —  that  she  was  to  be 
on  hand,  every  afternoon,  to  go  with  Corny,  if  neces 
sary,  whenever  we  went  out  on  our  trips  to  the 
African  settlement;  and,  after  giving  her  an  idea  of 
what  we  intended  doing  with  the  queen, — which  inter 
ested  her  very  much  indeed,  and  seemed  to  set  her  on 
pins  and  needles  to  see  the  glories  of  the  new  reign, — 
we  commissioned  her  to  bring  together  about  twenty 
sensible  and  intelligent  Africans,  so  that  we  could  talk 
to  them,  and  engage  them  as  subjects  for  the  re-en 
throned  queen. 

"  What 's  ole  Goliah  Brown  goin'  to  say  'bout  dat?" 
said  Priscilla. 

"Who  's  he?"  we  asked. 

"  He  's  de  Afrikin  gubner.     He  rule  'em  all." 

"  Oh  !  "  said  Rectus,  "  he  's  all  right.  We  're  going 
to  make  him  prime  minister." 

I  was  not  at  all  sure  that  he  was  all  right,  and 
proposed  that  Rectus  and  I  should  go  to  his  house 
in  the  evening,  when  he  was  at  home,  and  talk  to 
him  about  it. 

"Yes,  and  we  '11  all  go  and  see  the  head  governor 
to-morrow  morning,"  said  Corny. 

We  had  our  hands  completely  full  of  diplomatic 
business. 

The  meeting  of  the  adherents  was  appointed  for  the 
next  afternoon.  We  decided  to  have  it  on  the  Queen's 
Stair- way,  which  is  a  long  flight  of  steps,  cut  in  the 
solid  limestone,  and  leading  up  out  of  a  deep  and 
shadowy  ravine,  where  the  people  of  the  town  many 


REGAL    PROJECTS.  153 

years  ago  cut  out  the  calcareous  material  for  their 
houses.  There  has  been  no  stone  cut  here  for  a  long 
time,  and  the  walls  of  the  ravine,  which  stand  up 
as  straight  as  the  wall  of  a  house,  are  darkened  by 
age  and  a  good  deal  covered  up  by  vines.  At  the 
bottom,  on  each  side  of  the  pathway  which  runs 
through  the  ravine  to  the  town,  bushes  and  plants  of 
various  semi-tropical  kinds  grow  thick  and  close.  At 
the  top  of  the  flight  of  stairs  are  open  fields  and  an 
old  fort.  Altogether,  this  was  considered  a  quiet  and 
suitable  place  for  a  meeting  of  a  band  of  revolutionists. 
We  could  not  have  met  in  the  silk-cotton  tree,  for  we 
should  have  attracted  too  much  attention,  and,  besides, 
the  hotel-clerk  would  have  routed  us  out. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

RECTUS   LOSES    RANK. 

AFTER  supper,  Rectus  and  I  went  to  see  the 
African  governor,  Goliah  Brown.  He  was  a 
good-natured  old  colored  man,  who  lived  in  a  house  a 
trifle  better  than  most  of  those  inhabited  by  his  fellow- 
countrymen.  The  main  room  was  of  a  fair  size,  and 
there  was  a  centre-table,  with  some  books  on  it. 

When  we  saw  this,  we  hesitated.  Could  we  ask  a 
man  who  owned  books,  and  could  probably  read,  to 
play  second  fiddle  to  a  woman  who  could  not  speak 
the  English  language,  and  who  for  years,  perhaps, 
had  devoted  the  energies  of  her  soul  to  the  sale  of 
pepper-pods  ? 

However,  the  office  of  prime  minister  was  no  trifle, 
and  many  more  distinguished  and  more  learned  men 
than  Goliah  Brown  have  been  glad  to  get  it.  Besides 
this,  we  considered  that  blood  is  blood,  and,  in 
monarchical  countries,  a  queen  is  a  queen.  This  was 
a  colony  of  a  monarchy,  and  we  would  push  forward 
the  claims  of  Poqua-dilla  the  First.  We  called  her 


RECTUS    LOSES    RANK.  155 

"The  First,"  because,  although  she  may  have  had  a 
good  many  ancestors  of  her  name  in  Africa,  she 
certainly  started  the  line  in  the  Bahamas. 

Goliah  proved  himself  a  steady-going  talker.  He 
seemed  pleased  to  have  us  call  on  him,  and  told  us 
the  whole  story  of  the  capture  of  himself  and  the  rest 
of  the  Africans.  We  had  heard  pretty  much  all  of  it 
before,  but,  of  course,  we  had  to  politely  listen  to  it 
again. 

When  he  finished,  we  asked  a  few  questions  about 
the  queen,  and  finding  that  Goliah  admitted  her  claims 
to  royal  blood,  we  told  him  what  we  proposed  to  do, 
and  boldly  asked  him  to  take  the  position  of  prime 
minister  in  the  African  community. 

At  first,  he  did  not  understand,  and  we  had  to  go 
over  the  thing  two  or  three  times  before  he  saw  into 
it.  Then,  it  was  evident  that  he  could  not  see  what 
business  this  was  of  ours,  and  we  had  to  explain  our 
motives,  which  was  some  trouble,  because  we  had  not 
quite  straightened  them  out  in  our  own  minds. 

Then  he  wanted  to  know  which  was  the  head 
person,  a  queen  or  a  prime  minister.  We  set  forth 
the  strict  truth  to  him  in  this  matter.  We  told  him 
that  although  a  queen  in  a  well-regulated  monarchy 
actually  occupies  the  highest  place,  that  the  prime 
minister  is  the  fellow  who  does  the  real  governing. 
He  thought  this  might  all  be  so,  but  he  did  not  like 
the  idea  of  having  any  one,  especially  Jane  Hender 
son,  as  he  called  her,  in  a  position  higher  than  his 
own.  We  did  not  say  anything  to  him,  then,  about 
giving  the  queen  her  English  name,  because  we  sup- 


156  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

posed  that  he  had  been  used  to  speak  of  her  in  that 
way,  to  white  people,  but  we  determined  to  refer  to 
this  when  matters  should  be  settled. 

He  was  so  set  in  his  own  opinion  on  this  point  of 
position,  that  we  were  afraid  we  should  be  obliged  to 
give  the  thing  up.  He  used  very  good  arguments, 
too.  He  said  that  he  had  been  elected  to  his  present 
office  by  his  fellow  Africans  ;  that  he  had  held  it  a 
long  time ;  that  he  did  n't  think  the  rest  of  his  people 
wanted  him  to  give  it  up,  and  he  did  n't  think  he 
wanted  to  give  it  up  himself.  A  prime  minister  might 
be  all  very  well,  but  he  did  n't  know  anything  about 
it.  He  knew  what  it  was  to  be  governor,  and  was 
very  well  satisfied  to  leave  things  as  they  were. 

This  was  dampening.  Just  as  the  old  fellow  thought 
he  had  settled  the  matter,  a  happy  thought  struck  me : 
we  might  make  the  monarchy  an  independent  arrange 
ment.  Perhaps  Goliah  would  have  no  objection  to 
that,  provided  we  did  not  interfere  with  his  governor 
ship.  If  Poqua-dilla  should  be  recognized  as  a  queen, 
and  crowned,  and  provided  with  an  income  sufficient 
to  keep  her  out  of  any  retail  business,  it  was  about  all 
she  could  expect,  at  her  time  of  life.  She  certainly 
would  not  care  to  do  any  governing.  The  few 
subjects  that  we  should  enlist  would  be  more  like 
courtiers  than  anything  else. 

I  called  Rectus  to  the  door,  and  suggested  this 
arrangement  to  him.  He  thought  it  would  be  better 
than  nothing,  and  that  it  would  be  well  to  mention  it. 

We  did  this,  and  Goliah  thought  a  while. 

"  Ef  I  lets  her  be  call'  queen,"  he  said,  "  an*  she  jist 


RECTUS    LOSES    RANK. 


157 


stay  at  home  an'  min'  her  own  business,  an'  don'  run 
herse'f  agin  me,  no  way,  how  much  you  s'pose  she 
able  to  gib  fur  dat  ?  " 


"'ALL  RIGHT,'  SAID  GOLIAH,  WITH  A  SMILE." 

Rectus  and  I  went  again  to  the  front  door  to  consult, 
and  when  we  came  back,  we  said  we  thought  she 
would  be  able  to  give  a  dollar. 

"  All  right,"  said  Goliah,  with  a  smile.      "She  kin 


1-58  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

jist  go  ahead,  and  be  queen.  Only  don'  let  her  run 
herse'f  ag'in  me." 

This  suited  us,  and  we  paid  the  dollar,  and  came 
away.  t 

"  More  cash !  "  said  Rectus,  as  we  walked  home. 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  "  but  what  troubles  me  is  that 
queen's  income.  I  don't  see  now  where  it  's  to  come 
from,  for  old  Goliah  wont  allow  his  people  to  be  taxed 
for  her,  that  's  certain." 

Rectus  agreed  that  things  looked  a  little  bluish, 
but  he  thought  we  might  pay  the  income  ourselves, 
until  after  the  coronation,  and  then  we  could  see  what 
else  could  be  done.  This  was  n't  much  of  a  plan,  but 
I  could  n't  think  of  anything  better. 

The  next  day,  about  noon,  we  all  went  to  see  the 
real  governor  of  the  colony.  Rectus  and  I  did  n't  care 
much  about  doing  this,  but  Corny  insisted  on  it.  She 
was  afraid  of  the  police, —  and  probably  of  the  army 
and  navy,  although  she  made  light  of  them, — and  so 
she  thought  it  would  be  a  good  thing  to  see  whether 
or  not  we  should  have  to  combat  with  all  these  forces, 
if  we  should  carry  out  our  plans.  We  took  Priscilla 
along  with  us  on  Corny's  account.  It  would  look 
respectable  for  her  to  have  an  attendant.  This  being 
an  extra  job,  Priscilla  earned  two  sixpences  that  day. 

The  governor  lived  in  a  fine  house,  on  the  hill  back 
of  the  town,  and  although  we  all  knew  where  it  was, 
Priscilla  was  of  great  use  to  us  here,  for  she  took  us  in 
at  a  side  gate,  where  we  could  walk  right  up  to  the 
door  of  the  governor's  office,  without  going  to  the 
grand  entrance,  at  the  front  of  the  house,  where  the 


RECTUS    LOSES    RANK.  159 

English  flag  was  flying.  There  was  a  red-coated  sol 
dier  standing  just  in  the  doorway,  and  when  we  saw 
him,  we  put  ourselves  on  oui  stiffest  behavior.  We 
told  Priscilla  to  wait  outside,  in  the  path,  and  try  and 
behave  so  that  people  would  think  there  was  a  pretty 
high-toned  party  inside.  We  then  went  up  to  the 
red-coat,  and  asked  to  see  the  governor.  The  soldier 
looked  at  us  a  little  queerly,  and  went  back  into 
the  house. 

He  staid  a  good  while,  but  when  he  came  out  he 
told  us  to  follow  him,  and  took  us  through  a  hall 
into  a  room  where  two  gentlemen  were  sitting 
at  desks.  One  of  these  jumped  up  and  came 
to  meet  us. 

"There  is  the  secretary,"  said  the  soldier,  in  a  low 
voice  to  me,  and  then  he  left  us. 

We  now  had  to  ask  the  secretary  if  we  could  see 
the  governor.  He  inquired  our  business,  but  we 
did  n't  seem  anxious  to  tell  him. 

"  Anything  private  ?  "  he  said,  with  a  smile. 

"Well,  sir,"  said  I,  "it  's  not  exactly  private,  but 
it  's  not  a  very  easy  thing  to  put  straight  before  any 
body,  and  if  it  don't  make  any  difference,  we  'd  rather 
not  have  to  tell  it  twice." 

He  hesitated  for  a  minute,  and  then  he  said  he  'd 
see,  and  went  into  another  room. 

"  Now,  look  here,"  I  whispered  to  Rectus,  "  if 
you  're  captain,  you  've  got  to  step  up  and  do  the 
talking.  It  is  n't  my  place." 

The  secretary  now  returned,  and  said  the  governor 
could  give  us  a  few  minutes.  I  think  the  probability 


160  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

was  that  he  was  curious  to  know  what  two  boys  and  a 
girl  could  want  with  him. 

The  governor's  office,  into  which  we  now  were 
shown,  was  a  large  room,  with  plenty  of  book-cases 
and  shelves  against  the  walls,  and  in  the  middle  of  the 
floor  a  big  table,  which  was  covered  with  papers, 
packages  of  manuscript  tied  up  with  tape,  and  every 
kind  of  thing  necessary  to  make  matters  look  as  if 
business  was  brisk  in  these  islands.  The  governor 
himself  was  a  tall,  handsome  gentleman,  not  old  a 
bit,  as  Corny  put  it  afterward,  and  dressed  all  in 
white  linen,  which  gave  him  an  air  of  coolness  and 
cleanness  that  was  quite  agreeable  to  us  after  our 
walk  in  the  sun.  He  was  sitting  at  one  end  of  the 
long  table,  and  he  politely  motioned  us  to  seats  at 
one  side  of  him.  I  expect  the  secretary  arranged  the 
chairs  before  we  came  in.  We  made  our  manners  and 
sat  down. 

"  Well,"  said  he,  "what  can  I  do  for  you  ?  " 

If  Corny  had  n't  been  along,  I  don't  believe  he 
would  have  seen  us  at  all.  There  can  be  nothing 
attractive  to  a  governor  about  two  boys.  But  almost 
any  one  would  take  an  interest  in  a  girl  like  Corny. 
The  secretary  was  very  polite  to  her. 

Rectus  now  gave  his  throat  a  little  clearing,  and 
pushed  off. 

"  Our  business  with  you,  sir,  is  to  see  about  doing 
something  for  a  poor  queen,  a  very  good  and  honest 
woman " 

"  A  poor  but  honest  queen!"  interrupted  the 
governor,  with  a  smile. 


RECTUS    LOSES   RANK.  101 

"Oh,  he  don't  mean  a  common  queen,"  said  Corny, 
quickly.  "He  means  a  black  queen, —  an  African, — 
born  royal,  but  taken  prisoner  when  young,  and 
brought  here,  and  she  lives  over  there  in  the  African 
settlements,  and  sells  peppers,  but  is  just  as  much 
a  queen  as  ever,  you  know,  sir,  for  selling  things 
on  a  door-step  can't  take  the  royal  blood  out  of  a 
person." 

"  Oh  no,  indeed  !  "  said  the  governor,  and  he  looked 
very  much  tickled. 

"  And  this  poor  woman  is  old,  now,  and  has  no 
revenue,  and  has  to  get  along  as  well  as  she  can,  which 
is  pretty  poorly,  I  know,  and  nobody  ever  treats  her 
any  better  than  if  she  had  been  born  a  common 
person,  and  we  want  to  give  her  a  chance  of  having  as 
many  of  her  rights  as  she  can  before  she  dies." 

"  At  any  rate,"  said  Rectus,  who  had  been  waiting 
for  a  chance  to  make  a  fresh  start,  "  if  we  can't  give 
her  all  her  royal  rights,  we  want  to  let  her  know  how 
it  feels  to  be  a  queen,  and  to  give  her  a  little  show 
among  her  people." 

"You  are  talking  of  an  old  native  African  woman?" 
said  the  governor,  looking  at  Corny.  "  I  have  heard 
of  her.  It  seems  to  be  generally  agreed  that  she 
belonged  to  a  royal  family  in  one  of  the  African 
tribes.  And  you  want  to  restore  her  to  her  regal 
station  ?  " 

"We  can't  do  that,  of  course,"  said  Corny;  "but 
we  do  think  she  's  been  shamefully  used,  and  all  we 
want  to  do  is  to  have  her  acknowledged  by  her  peo 
ple.  She  need  n't  do  any  ruling.  We  '11  fix  her  up  so 


162  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

that  she  '11  look  enough  like  a  queen  for  those  dread 
fully  poor  people." 

"Yes,"  put  in  Rectus,  who  had  been  getting  warm 
on  the  subject,  "  they  are  dreadfully  poor,  but  she  's 
the  poorest  of  the  lot,  and  it 's  a  shame  to  see  how  she, 
a  regular  queen,  has  to  live,  while  a  governor,  who 
was  n't  anybody  before  he  got  his  place,  lives  in  the 
best  house,  with  tables  and  books,  and  everything  he 
wants,  for  all  I  know,  and  a  big  flag  in  front  of  his 
door,  as  if  he  was  somebody  great,  and " 

"What  ?"  said  the  governor,  pretty  quick  and  sharp, 
and  turning  around  square  on  Rectus. 

"Oh,  he  don't  mean  you!"  said  Corny.  "He's 
talking  about  the  black  governor,  Goliah  Brown." 

"Ah,  indeed!"  said  he,  turning  away  from  Rectus 
as  if  he  did  n't  like  his  looks.  "  And  what  does  Brown 
think  of  all  this?" 

I  thought  I  'd  better  say  a  word  or  two  now,  because 
I  did  n't  know  where  Rectus  would  fetch  us  up  next, 
if  we  should  give  him  another  chance,  and  so  I  said  to 
the  governor  that  I  knew  Goliah  Brown  would  make 
no  objections  to  the  plan,  because  we  had  talked  it  over 
with  him,  and  he  had  agreed  to  it. 

"  Well,  then,  what  do  you  want  that  I  should  do  for 
you  ?"  said  the  governor  to  Corny. 

"Oh,  nothing  sir,"  said  she,  "but  just  to  make  it  all 
safe  for  us.  We  did  n't  know  exactly  what  the  rules 
were  on  this  island,  and  so  we  thought  we  'd  come 
and  see  you  about  it.  We  don't  want  the  policemen, 
or  the  soldiers  or  sailors,  or  anybody,  to  get  after  us." 

"  There  is  no  rule  here  against  giving  a  queen  her 


RECTUS    LOSES   RANK.  163 

rights,"  said  the  governor,  who  seemed  to  be  in  a  good 
humor  as  long  as  he  talked  to  Corny,  "and  no  one 
shall  interfere  with  you,  provided  you  do  not  commit 
any  disorder,  and  I  'm  sure  you  will  not  do  that" 

"  Oh,  no  !  "  said  Corny ;  "  we  just  intend  to  have  a 
little  coronation,  and  to  ask  the  people  to  remember 
that  she  's  a  queen  and  not  a  pepper-pod  woman; 
and  if  you  could  just  give  us  a  paper  commission,  and 
sign  it,  we  should — at  least  I  should — feel  a  good 
deal  easier." 

"  You  shall  have  it,"  said  the  governor,  and  he  took 
some  paper  and  a  pen. 

"  It  seems  a  little  curious,"  said  he  to  Corny,  as  he 
dipped  his  pen  in  the  ink,  "  that  I  should  serve  a 
queen,  and  have  a  queen  under  me  at  the  same  time, 
does  n't  it  ?  " 

"Kind  o'  sandwiched,"  remarked  Rectus,  who  had 
a  face  like  frozen  brass. 

The  governor  went  on  writing,  and  Corny  and  I 
looked  at  Rectus  as  if  we  would  singe  his  hair. 

"  You  are  all  from  the  States,  I  suppose,"  said  the 
governor. 

I  said  we  were. 

"  What  are  your  names  ? "  he  asked,  looking  at 
Corny  first. 

"  Cornelia  V.  Chipperton,"  said  Corny,  and  he 
wrote  that  down.  Then  he  looked  at  me. 

"  William  Taylor  Gordon,"  said  I.  When  the 
governor  had  put  that  on  his  paper,  he  just  gave 
his  head  a  little  wag  toward  Rectus.  He  did  n't  look 
at  him. 


164  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  My  name  is  Samuel  Colbert,"  said  Rectus. 

Corny  turned  short  on  him,  with  eyes  wide  open. 

"  Samuel !  "  she  said,  in  a  sort  of  theatre-whisper. 

"Now,  then,"  said  the  governor,  "this  paper  will 
show  that  you  have  full  permission  to  carry  out  your 
little  plans,  provided  that  you  do  nothing  that  may 
create  any  disorder.  If  the  woman  —  your  queen,  I 
mean  —  has  been  in  the  habit  of  earning  her  own  live 
lihood,  don't  make  a  pauper  of  her."  And  he  gave 
us  a  general  look  as  if  the  time  had  come  to  say  good 
bye.  So  we  got  up  and  thanked  him,  and  he  shook 
hands  with  us,  Rectus  and  all,  and  we  came  away. 

We  found  Priscilla  sitting  cross-legged  on  the  grass 
outside,  pitching  pennies. 

"That  thar  red-coat  he  want  to  sen'  me  off,"  said 
she,  "  but  I  tole  him  my  missy  and  bosses  was  inside, 
and  I  boun'  to  wait  fur  'em,  or  git  turned  off.  So  he 
le'  me  stay." 

Corny,  for  a  wonder,  did  not  reprove  Priscilla  for 
giving  the  sentinel  the  idea  that  her  employers  hired 
penny-pitchers  to  follow  them  around,  but  she  walked 
on  in  silence  until  we  were  out  of  the  grounds.  Then 
she  turned  to  Rectus  and  said  : 

"  I  thought  your  name  was  Rectus  !  " 

"  It  is  n't,"  said  he.     "  It 's  Samuel." 

This  was  no  sort  of  an  answer  to  give  Corny,  and 
so  I  explained  that  Rectus  was  his  school  name  ;  that 
he  was  younger  than  most  of  us,  and  that  we  used  to 
call  him  Young  Rectus  ;  but  that  I  had  pretty  much 
dropped  the  "  young "  since  we  had  been  travelling 
together.  It  did  n't  appear  to  be  needed. 


RECTUS    LOSES    RANK.  165 

"  But  why  did  you  call  him  Rectus,  when  his 
name  's  Samuel  ?"  asked  Corny. 

"Well,"  said  I,  laughing,  "it  seemed  to  suit  him." 

This  was  all  that  was  said  about  the  matter,  for 
Priscilla  came  up  and  said  she  must  hurry  home,  and 
that  she  'd  like  to  have  her  sixpence,  and  that  changed 
the  subject,  for  we  were  out  of  small  money  and  could 
only  make  up  eleven  half-pence  among  us.  But  Pris 
cilla  agreed  to  trust  us  until  evening  for  the  other 
"  hoppenny." 

Corny  did  n't  say  much  on  the  way  home,  and  she 
looked  as  if  she  was  doing  some  private  thinking.  I 
suppose,  among  other  things,  she  thought  that  as  I 
considered  it  all  right  to  call  Rectus  Rectus,  she  might 
as  well  do  it  herself,  for  she  said : 

"  Rectus,  I  don't  think  you  're  as  good  at  talking  as 
Will  is.  I  move  we  have  a  new  election  for  captain." 

"  All  right,"  said  Rectus  ;   "  I  'm  agreed." 

You  could  n't  make  that  boy  angry.  We  held  a 
meeting  just  as  we  got  to  the  hotel,  and  he  and  Corny 
both  voted  for  me. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

THE   CORONATION. 

IN  the  afternoon,  we  had  our  grand  rally  at  the 
Queen's  Stair-way.  Corny  could  n't  come,  be 
cause  her  mother  said  she  must  not  be  running 
around  so  much.  So  she  staid  at  home  and  worked 
on  the  new  flag  for  the  coronation.  We  designed  this 
flag  among  us.  It  had  a  black  ground,  with  a  yellow 
sun  just  rising  out  of  the  middle  of  it.  It  did  n't  cost 
much,  and  looked  more  like  a  yellow  cog-wheel  rolling 
in  deep  mud  than  anything  else.  But  we  thought  it 
would  do  very  well. 

Rectus  and  I  had  barely  reached  the  stairs,  by  the 
way  of  the  old  fort,  when  Priscilla  made  her  appear 
ance  in  the  ravine  at  the  head  of  a  crowd  of  whooping 
barefooted  young  rascals,  who  came  skipping  along 
as  if  they  expected  something  to  eat. 

"  I  'd  never  be  a  queen,"  said  Rectus,  "if  I  had  to 
have  such  a  lot  of  subjects  as  that." 

"  Don't  think  you  would,"  said  I ;  "but  we  must  n't 
let  'em  come  up  the  stairs.  They  must  stay  at  the 

166 


THE    CORONATION.  167 

bottom,  so  that  we  can  harangue  'em."  So  we 
charged  down  the  stairs,  and  made  the  adherents 
bunch  themselves  on  the  level  ground. 

Then  we  harangued  them,  and  they  laughed,  and 
hurrahed,  and  whistled,  and  jumped,  while  Priscilla,  as 
an  active  emissary,  ran  around  among  them,  punching 
them,  and  trying  to  make  them  keep  still  and  listen. 

But  as  they  all  promised  to  stick  to  us  and  the  royal 
queen  through  thick  and  thin,  we  did  n't  mind  a  little 
disorder. 

The  next  day  but  one  was  to  be  coronation  day, 
and  we  impressed  it  on  the  minds  of  the  adherents 
that  they  must  be  sure  to  be  on  hand  about  ten  in  the 
morning,  in  front  of  the  queen's  hut.  We  concluded 
not  to  call  it  a  palace  until  after  the  ceremony. 

When  we  had  said  all  we  had  to  say,  we  told  the 
assemblage  that  it  might  go  home;  but  it  did  n't  seem 
inclined  to  do  anything  of  the  kind. 

"  Look  a  here,  boss,"  said  one  of  them, —  a  stout, 
saucy  fellow,  with  the  biggest  hat  and  the  biggest  feet 
on  the  island, — "aint  you  agoin'  to  give  us  nothin'  for 
comin'  round  here  ?" 

"  Give  you  anything ! "  cried  Rectus,  blazing  up 
suddenly.  "  That  's  a  pretty  way  to  talk  !  It 's  the 
subjects  that  have  to  give.  You  '11  see  pretty  soon 


Just  here  I  stopped  him.  If  he  had  gone  on  a  few 
minutes  longer,  he  would  have  wound  up  that  king 
dom  with  a  snap. 

"We  did  n't  bring  you  here,"  said  I,  "to  give  you 
anything,  for  it  ought  to  be  enough  pay  to  any  decent 


168  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

fellow  to  see  a  good  old  person  like  Queen  Poqua-dilla 
get  her  rights." 

"Who  's  him?"  asked  several  of  the  nearest  fellows. 

"He  means  Jane  Henderson,"  said  Priscilla.  "You 
keep  quiet." 

"  Jane  Henderson  !  Dat  's  all  right.  Don'  call  her 
no  names.  Go  ahead,  boss  ! "  they  cried,  laughing 
and  shouting.  I  went  ahead. 

"  We  can't  pay  you  any  money  ;  but  if  you  will  all 
promise  again  to  be  on  hand  before  ten  o'clock  day 
after  to-morrow,  we  '11  take  you  down  to  the  harbor 
now  and  give  you  a  small  dive." 

A  wild  promise  rang  up  the  sides  of  the  ravine. 

A  "small  dive"  is  a  ceremony  somewhat  peculiar 
to  this  island.  A  visitor — no  native  white  man  would 
ever  think  of  such  a  thing — stands  on  the  edge  of  a 
pier,  or  anywhere,  where  the  water  is  quite  deep,  and 
tosses  in  a  bit  of  money,  while  the  darkey  boys — who 
are  sure  to  be  all  ready  when  a  visitor  is  standing  on 
a  pier — dive  for  it.  It 's  a  lot  of  fun  to  see  them  do 
this,  and  Rectus  and  I  had  already  chucked  a  good 
deal  of  small  change  into  the  harbor,  and  had  seen  it 
come  up  again,  some  of  it  before  it  got  to  the  bottom. 
These  dives  are  called  "  small,"  because  the  darkeys 
want  to  put  the  thing  mildly.  They  could  n't  coax 
anybody  down  to  the  water  to  give  them  a  big  dive. 

"  You  see,"  said  I  to  Rectus,  as  we  started  down 
the  ravine  toward  the  river,  with  the  crowd  of  adhe 
rents  marching  in  front,  "  we  've  got  to  have  these 
fellows  at  the  coronation.  So  it  wont  do  to  scare  'em 
off  now." 


THE    CORONATION.  169 

We  went  down  to  a  little  public  square  in  front  of 
the  town,  where  there  was  a  splendid  diving-place.  A 
good  many  people  were  strolling  about  there,  but  I 
don't  suppose  that  a  single  person  who  saw  those 
darkey  fellows,  with  nothing  on  but  their  cotton  trou 
sers, — who  stood  in  a  line  on  the  edge  of  the  sea-wall, 
and  plunged  in,  head  foremost,  like  a  lot  of  frogs, 
when  I  threw  out  a  couple  of  "  big  coppers,"  —  ever 
supposed  that  these  rascals  were  diving  for  monarchi 
cal  purposes.  The  water  was  so  clear  that  we  could 
see  them  down  at  the  bottom,  swimming  and  paddling 
around  after  the  coppers.  When  a  fellow  found  one 
he  'd  stick  it  in  his  mouth,  and  come  up  as  lively  as  a 
cricket,  and  all  ready  for  another  scramble  at  the 
bottom. 

Sometimes  I  threw  in  a  silver  "  check,"  which  is 
no  bigger  than  a  three-cent  piece  ;  but,  although  the 
water  was  about  fifteen  feet  deep,  it  was  never  lost. 
The  fellows  seemed  just  as  much  at  home  in  the  water 
as  on  land,  and  I  suppose  they  don't  know  how  to  get 
drowned.  We  tried  to  toss  the  money  in  such  a  way 
that  each  one  of  them  would  have  something,  but 
some  of  them  were  not  smart  enough  to  get  down  to 
the  bottom  in  time  ;  and  when  we  thought  we  had 
circulated  enough  specie,  we  felt  sure  that  there  were 
two  or  three,  and  perhaps  more,  who  had  n't  brought 
up  a  penny. 

So  when  they  all    climbed  out,   with    their    brown 

shoulders  glistening,  I   asked  which  one  of  them  had 

come  out  without  getting  anything.     Every  man-jack 

of  them   stepped   forward  and  said  he   had  n't  got  a 

8 


170 


A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 


copper  !  We  picked 
out  three  little  fel 
lows,  gave  them  a 
few  pennies  apiece, 
and  came  home. 

The  next  day  we 
were  all  hard  at 
work.  Corny  and 
her  mother  went 
down  to  the  queen's 
house,  and  planned 
what  they  could  get 
to  fit  up  the  place 
so  that  it  would  be 
a  little  more  com 
fortable.  Mrs.  Chip- 
perton  must  have 
added  something  to 
our  eight  dollars, 
for  she  and  Corny 
came  up  into  the 
town,  and  bought  a 
lot  of  things,  which 
made  Poqua-dilla's 
best  room  look 
like  another  place. 
The  rocking-chair 
was  fixed  up  quite 
royally.  Mrs. 
Chipperton  turned 
out  to  be  a  better 


THE   CORONATION.  171 

kind    of    a    woman    than    I    thought    she    was    at 
first. 

We  hired  a  man  to  cut  a  pole  and  set  it  up  in  the 
queen's  front  yard,  for  the  flag ;  and  then  Rectus  and 
I  started  out  to  get  the  crown.  I  had  thought  that  if 
we  could  find  some  sheet-brass,  I  could  manage  to 
make  a  pretty  good  crown,  but  there  did  n't  seem  to 
be  anything  of  the  kind  in  the  place.  But,  after  a 
good  deal  of  looking,  we  found  a  brass  saucepan,  in 
a  store,  which  I  thought  would  do  very  well  for  the 
foundation  of  a  crown.  We  bought  this,  and  took  it 
around  to  a  shop  where  a  man  mended  pots  and 
kettles.  For  a  shilling  we  hired  the  use  of  his  tools 
for  an  hour,  and  then  Rectus  and  I  went  to  work.  We 
unriveted  the  handle,  and  then  I  held  the  bottom  edge 
of  the  saucepan  to  the  grindstone,  while  Rectus 
turned,  and  we  soon  ground  the  bottom  off.  This  left 
us  a  deep  brass  band,  quite  big  enough  for  a  crown, 
and  as  the  top  edge  was  rounded  off,  it  could  be 
turned  over  on  a  person's  head,  so  as  to  sit  quite 
comfortably.  With  a  cold- chisel  I  cut  long  points  in 
what  would  be  the  upper  part  of  the  crown,  and  when 
I  had  filed  these  up  a  little,  the  crown  looked  quite 
nobby.  We  finished  it  by  punching  a  lot  of  holes  in 
the  front  part,  making  them  in  the  form  of  stars  and 
circles.  With  something  red  behind  these,  the  effect 
would  be  prodigious. 

At  ten  o'clock,  sharp,  the  next  morning,  we  were  all 
at  the  queen's  house.  Mrs.  Chipperton  was  with  us, 
for  she  wished  very  much  to  see  the  ceremony.  I 
think  Mr.  Chipperton  would  have  been  along,  but  a 


172  A   JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

gentleman  took  him  out  in  his  yacht  that  morning, 
and  I  must  admit  that  we  all  breathed  a  little  bit  freer 
without  him.  There  was  a  pretty  fair  crowd  sitting 
around  in  the  front  yard  when  we  reached  the  house, 
and  before  long  a  good  many  more  people  came  to 
see  what  was  going  on.  They  were  all  negroes  ;  but 
I  don't  believe  half  of  them  were  genuine  native 
Africans.  The  queen  was  sitting  inside,  with  a  red 
shawl  on,  although  it  was  a  pretty  warm  day,  and 
wearing  a  new  turban. 

We  had  arranged,  on  the  way,  to  appoint  a  lot  of 
court  officials,  because  there  was  no  use  of  our  being 
stingy  in  this  respect,  when  it  did  n't  cost  anything  to 
do  up  the  thing  right.  So  we  picked  out  a  good 
looking  man  for  Lord  High  Chancellor,  and  gave  him 
a  piece  of  red  ribbon  to  tie  in  his  button-hole.  He 
had  n't  any  button-hole  anywhere,  except  in  his 
trousers,  so  he  tied  it  to  the  string  which  fastened  his 
shirt  together  at  the  collar.  Four  old  men  we 
appointed  to  be  courtiers,  and  made  them  button  up 
their  coats.  For  a  wonder,  they  all  had  coats.  We 
also  made  a  Lord  High  Sheriff  and  a  Royal  Beadle, 
and  an  Usher  of  the  White  Wand,  an  officer  Mrs. 
Chipperton  had  read  about,  and  to  whom  we  gave  a 
whittled  stick,  with  strict  instructions  not  to  jab  any 
body  with  it.  Corny  had  been  reading  a  German 
novel,  and  she  wanted  us  to  appoint  a  "Hof-rath," 
who  is  a  German  court  officer  of  some  kind.  He  was 
a  nice  fellow  in  the  novel,  and  so  we  picked  out  the 
best- looking  young  darkey  we  could  find,  for  the 
position. 


THE    CORONATION.  173 

We  each  had  our  posts.  Corny  was  to  do  the 
crowning,  and  I  was  to  make  the  speech.  Rectus  had 
his  place  by  the  flag,  which  he  was  to  haul  up  at  the 
proper  moment  Mrs.  Chipperton  undertook  to  stand 
by  the  old  lady, —  that  is,  the  queen, — and  give  her 
any  support  she  might  happen  to  need  during  the 
ceremony. 

We  intended  having  the  coronation  in  the  house ; 
but  we  found  the  crowd  too  large  for  this,  so  we 
brought  the  rocking-chair  out-of-doors,  and  set  it  in 
front  of  the  only  window  in  the  palace.  The  yard  was 
large  enough  to  accommodate  a  good  many  people, 
and  those  who  could  not  get  in  had  plenty  of  room 
out  in  the  road.  We  tried  to  make  Poqua-dilla  take 
off  her  turban,  because  a  crown  on  a  turban  seemed 
to  us  something  entirely  out  of  order  ;  but  she 
would  n't  listen  to  it.  We  had  the  pleasant- faced 
neighbor- woman  as  an  interpreter,  and  she  said  that  it 
was  n't  any  use  ;  the  queen  would  almost  as  soon 
appear  in  public  without  her  head  as  without  her  tur 
ban.  So  we  let  this  pass,  for  we  saw  very  plainly 
that  it  would  n't  do  to  try  to  force  too  much  on 
Poqua-dilla,  for  she  looked  now  as  if  she  thought  we 
had  come  there  to  perform  some  operation  on  her, — 
perhaps  to  cut  off  her  leg. 

About  half-past  ten,  we  led  her  out,  and  made  her 
sit  down  in  the  rocking-chair.  Mrs.  Chipperton  stood 
on  one  side  of  her,  holding  one  of  her  hands,  while 
the  neighbor-woman  stood  on  the  other  side,  and  held 
the  other  hand.  This  arrangement,  however,  did  not 
last  long,  for  Poqua-dilla  soon  jerked  her  hands  away. 


174  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

thinking,  perhaps,  that  if  anything  was  done  that  hurt, 
it  might  be  better  to  be  free  for  a  jump. 

Corny  stood  in  front,  a  little  at  one  side,  holding  the 
crown,  which  she  had  padded  and  lined  with  red 
flannel.  I  took  my  place  just  before  Mrs.  Chipperton, 
facing  the  crowd.  Rectus  was  at  the  flag-pole,  near 
the  front  of  the  yard,  holding  the  halyards  in  his 
hands,  ready  to  haul.  The  Hof-rath  was  by  him,  to 
help  if  anything  got  tangled,  and  the  four  courtiers 
and  the  other  officials  had  places  in  the  front  row  of 
the  spectators,  while  Priscilla  stood  by  Corny,  to  be 
on  hand  should  she  be  needed. 

When  all  was  ready,  and  Corny  had  felt  in  her 
pocket  to  see  that  the  "  permission  paper "  was  all 
right,  I  began  my  speech.  It  was  the  second  regular 
speech  I  had  ever  made, —  the  first  one  was  at  a  school 
celebration, —  and  I  had  studied  it  out  pretty  carefully. 
It  was  intended,  of  course,  for  the  negroes,  but  I  really 
addressed  the  most  of  it  to  Mrs.  Chipperton,  because 
I  knew  that  she  could  understand  a  speech  better  than 
any  one  else  in  the  yard.  When  I  had  shown  the 
matter  up  as  plainly  as  I  knew  how,  and  had  given  all 
the  whys  and  wherefores,  I  made  a  little  stop  for 
applause.  But  I  did  n't  get  any.  They  all  stood 
waiting  to  see  what  would  happen  next.  As  there 
was  nothing  more  to  say,  I  nodded  to  Corny  to  clap 
on  the  crown.  The  moment  she  felt  it  on  her  head, 
the  queen  stood  up  as  straight  as  a  hoe-handle,  and 
looked  quickly  from  side  to  side.  Then  I  called  out 
in  my  best  voice  : 

"Africans  !     Behold  your  queen ! " 


THE    CORONATION.  175 

At  this  instant  Rectus  ran  up  the  black  flag  with  the 
yellow  cog-wheel,  and  we  white  people  gave  a  cheer. 
As  soon  as  they  got  a  cue,  the  darkeys  knew  what  to 
do.  They  burst  out  into  a  wild  yell,  they  waved  their 
hats,  they  laid  down  on  the  grass  and  kicked,  they 
jumped,  and  danced,  and  laughed,  and  screamed.  I 
was  afraid  the  queen  would  bolt,  so  I  took  a  quiet  hold 
of  her  shawl.  But  she  stood  still  until  the  crowd 
cooled  down  a  little,  and  then  she  made  a  courtesy  and 
sat  down. 

"  Is  that  all  ?"  asked  the  neighbor- woman,  after  she 
had  waited  a  few  moments. 

"  Yes,"  said  I.     "  You  can  take  her  in." 

When  the  queen  had  been  led  within  doors,  and 
while  the  crowd  was  still  in  a  state  of  wild  commotion, 
I  took  a  heavy  bag  of  coppers  from  my  coat- pocket — 
where  it  had  been  worrying  me  all  through  the  cere 
mony — and  gave  it  to  Priscilla. 

"  Scatter  that  among  the  subjects,"  said  I. 

"  Give  'em  a  big  scramble  in  the  road  ?  "  said  she, 
her  eyes  crackling  with  delight. 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  and  out  she  ran,  followed  by  the 
whole  kingdom.  We  white  folk  stood  inside  to  watch 
the  fun.  Priscilla  threw  out  a  handful  of  pennies,  and 
the  darkeys  just  piled  themselves  up  in  the  road  en  top 
of  the  money.  You  could  see  nothing  but  madly  waving 
legs.  The  mass  heaved  and  tossed  and  moved  from 
one  side  of  the  road  to  the  other.  The  Lord  High 
Chancellor  was  at  the  bottom  of  the  heap,  while  the 
Hof-rath  wiggled  his  bare  feet  high  in  the  air.  Every 
fellow  who  grabbed  a  penny  had  ten  fellows  pulling  at 


176  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

him.  The  women  and  small  fry  did  not  get  into  this 
mess,  but  they  dodged  around,  and  made  snatches 
wherever  they  could  get  their  hands  into  the  pile  of 
boys  and  men. 

They  all  yelled,  and  shouted  and  tussled  and  scram 
bled,  until  Priscilla,  who  was  dancing  around  with  her 
bag,  gave  another  throw  into  a  different  part  of  the  road. 
Then  every  fellow  jerked  himself  loose  from  the  rest, 
and  a  fresh  rush  was  made,  and  a  fresh  pile  of  darkeys 
arose  in  a  minute. 

We  stood  and  laughed  until  our  backs  ached,  but,  as 
I  happened  to  look  around  at  the  house,  I  saw  the 
queen  standing  on  her  door-step  looking  mournfully  at 
the  fun.  She  was  alone,  for  even  her  good  neighbor 
had  rushed  out  to  see  what  she  could  pick  up.  I  was 
glad  to  find  that  the  new  monarch,  who  still  wore  her 
crown, — which  no  one  would  have  imagined  to  have 
ever  been  a  saucepan, — had  sense  enough  to  keep  out 
of  such  a  scrimmage  of  the  populace,  and  I  went  back 
and  gave  her  a  shilling.  Her  face  shone,  and  I  could 
see  that  she  felt  that  she  never  could  have  grabbed 
that  much. 

When  there  had  been  three  or  four  good  scrambles, 
Priscilla  ran  up  the  road,  a  little  way,  and  threw  out 
all  the  pennies  that  were  left  in  the  bag.  Then  she 
made  a  rush  for  them,  and,  having  a  good  start,  she 
got  there  first,  and  had  both  hands  full  of  dust  and 
pennies  before  any  one  else  reached  the  spot.  She  was 
not  to  be  counted  out  of  that  game. 

After  this  last  scramble,  we  came  away.  The  queen 
had  taken  her  throne  indoors,  and  we  went  in  and 


THE    CORONATION.  177 

shook  hands  with  her,  telling  her  we  would  soon  come 
and  see  how  she  was  getting  along.  I  don't  suppose 
she  understood  us,  but  it  did  n't  matter.  When  we 
had  gone  some  distance,  we  looked  back,  and  there  was 
still  a  pile  of  darkeys  rolling  and  tumbling  in  the  dust 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

A  HOT  CHASE. 

r  I AHAT  afternoon,  Rectus  and  I  went  over  to  the 
L  African  settlement  to  see  how  the  kingdom  worked. 
It  was  rather  soon,  perhaps,  to  make  a  call  on  the  new 
queen,  but  we  were  out  for  a  walk,  and  might  as  well 
go  that  way  as  any  other. 

When  we  came  near  the  house,  we  heard  a  tremen 
dous  uproar,  and  soon  saw  that  there  was  a  big  crowd 
in  the  yard.  We  could  n't  imagine  what  was  going  on, 
unless  the  queen  had  changed  her  shilling,  and  was 
indulging  in  the  luxury  of  giving  a  scramble.  We  ran 
up  quickly,  but  the  crowd  was  so  large  that  we  could 
not  get  into  the  yard,  nor  see  what  all  the  commotion 
was  about  But  we  went  over  to  the  side  of  the  yard, 
and  —  without  being  noticed  by  any  of  the  people,  who 
seemed  too  much  interested  to  turn  around  —  we  soon 
found  out  what  the  matter  was. 

Priscilla  had  usurped  the  throne ! 

The  rocking-chair  had  been  brought  out  and  placed 
again  in  front  of  the  window,  and  there  sat  Priscilla, 


A    HOT   CHASE.  179 

leaning  back  at  her  ease,  with  the  crown  on  her  head, 
a  big  fan  —  made  of  calf- skin  —  in  her  hand,  and  a 
general  air  of  superiority  pervading  her  whole  being. 
Behind  her,  with  her  hand  on  the  back  of  the  chair, 
stood  Poqua-dilla,  wearing  her  new  turban,  but  without 
the  red  shawl.  She  looked  as  if  something  had  happened. 

In  front  of  the  chair  was  the  Lord  High  Chancellor. 
He  had  evidently  gone  over  to  the  usurper.  His  red 
ribbon,  very  dusty  and  draggled,  still  hung  from  his 
shirt-collar.  The  four  courtiers  sat  together  on  a 
bench,  near  the  house,  with  their  coats  still  buttoned 
up  as  high  as  circumstances  would  allow.  They  seemed 
sad  and  disappointed,  and  probably  had  been  deprived 
of  their  rank.  The  Hof-rath  stood  in  the  front  of  the 
crowd.  He  did  not  appear  happy;  indeed,  he  seemed 
a  good  deal  ruffled,  both  in  mind  and  clothes.  Perhaps 
he  had  defended  his  queen,  and  had  been  roughly 
handled. 

Priscilla  was  talking,  and  fanning  herself,  gracefully 
and  lazily,  with  her  calf-skin  fan.  I  think  she  had 
been  telling  the  people  what  she  intended  to  do,  and 
what  she  intended  them  to  do ;  but,  almost  immedi 
ately  after  our  arrival,  she  was  interrupted  by  the  Hof- 
rath,  who  said  something  that  we  did  not  hear,  but 
which  put  Priscilla  into  a  wild  passion. 

She  sprang  to  her  feet  and  stood  up  in  the  chair, 
while  poor  Poqua-dilla  held  it  firmly  by  the  back  so 
that  it  should  not  shake.  I  supposed  from  this  that 
Priscilla  had  been  standing  up  before,  and  that  our  old 
friend  had  been  appointed  to  the  office  of  chair-back- 
holder  to  the  usurper. 


180  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

Priscilla  waved  her  fan  high  in  air,  and  then,  with 
her  right  hand,  she  took  off  the  crown,  held  it  up  for  a 
minute,  and  replaced  it  on  her  head. 

"Afrikins,  behole  yer  queen!  "  said  she,  at  the  top 
of  her  voice,  and  leaning  back  so  far  that  the  rightful 
sovereign  had  a  good  deal  of  trouble  to  keep  the  chair 
from  going  over. 

"  Dat  's  me  !  "  she  cried.  "  Look  straight  at  me,  an' 
ye  see  yer  queen.  An*  how  you  dar',  you  misribble 
Hop-grog,  to  say  I  no  queen  !  You  'serve  to  be  killed. 
Take  hole  o'  him,  some  uv  you  fellers  !  Grab  dat  Hop- 
grog  !  " 

At  this,  two  or  three  men  seized  the  poor  Hof-rath, 
while  the  crowd  cheered  and  laughed. 

"  Take  him  an'  kill  him  !  "  shouted  Priscilla.  "Chop 
his  head  off!  " 

At  this,  a  wild  shout  of  laughter  arose,  and  one  of 
the  men  who  held  the  Hof-rath  declared,  as  soon  as  he 
got  his  breath,  that  they  could  n't  do  that, — they  had 
no  hatchet  big  enough. 

Priscilla  stood  quiet  for  a  minute.  She  looked  over 
the  crowd,  and  then  she  looked  at  the  poor  Hof-rath, 
who  now  began  to  show  that  he  was  a  little  frightened. 

"You,  Hop-grog,"  said  she,  "how  much  money  did 
you  grab  in  dem  scrahmbles  ?  " 

The  Hof-rath  put  his  hand  in  his  pocket  and  pulled 
out  some  pennies. 

"  Five  big  coppers,"  said  he,  sullenly. 

"  Gim  me  dem,"  said  she,  and  he  brought  them  to 
her. 

"  Now  den,  you  kin  git  out,"  said  she,  pocketing  the 


A    HOT   CHASE.  181 

money.  Then  she  again  raised  her  crown  and  replaced 
it  on  her  head. 

"  Afrikins,  behole  your  queen  !  "  she  cried. 

This  was  more  than  we  could  stand.  To  see  this 
usurpation  and  robbery  made  our  blood  boil.  We,  by 
ourselves,  could  do  nothing ;  but  we  could  get  help. 
We  slipped  away  and  ran  down  the  road  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  hotel.  We  had  not  gone  far  before  we  saw, 
coming  along  a  cross-road,  the  two  yellow-leg  men. 
We  turned,  hurried  up  to  them,  and  hastily  told  them 
of  the  condition  of  things,  and  asked  if  they  would  help 
us  put  down  this  usurpation.  They  did  not  under 
stand  the  matter,  at  first,  but  when  we  made  them  see 
how  it  stood,  they  were  greatly  interested,  and  instantly 
offered  to  join  us. 

"  We  can  go  down  here  to  the  police-station,"  said 
I,  "and  get  some  help." 

"  No,  no  !  "  said  the  tall  yellow-leg.  "  Don't  tell 
those  fellows.  They  '11  only  make  a  row  of  it,  and  get 
somebody  into  trouble.  We  're  enough  to  capture  that 
usurper.  Let  's  go  for  her." 

And  we  went. 

When  we  neared  the  crowd,  the  shorter  yellow-leg, 
Mr.  Burgan,  said  that  he  would  go  first ;  then  his  friend 
would  come  close  behind  him,  while  Rectus  and  I  could 
push  up  after  them.  By  forming  a  line  we  could  rush 
right  through  the  crowd.  I  thought  I  ought  to  go 
first,  but  Mr.  Burgan  said  he  was  the  stoutest,  and 
could  better  stand  the  pressure  if  the  crowd  stood  firm. 
.  But  the  crowd  did  n't  stand  firm.  The  moment  we 
made  our  rush,  and  the  people  saw  us,  they  scattered 


182  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

right  and  left,  and  we  pushed  right  through,  straight 
to  the  house.  Priscilla  saw  us  before  we  reached  her, 
and,  quick  as  lightning,  she  made  a  dive  for  the  door. 
We  rushed  after  her,  but  she  got  inside,  and,  hurling 
the  crown  from  her  head,  dashed  out  of  a  back-door. 
We  followed  hotly,  but  she  was  out  of  the  yard, 
over  a  wall,  and  into  a  side  lane,  almost  before  we 
knew  it. 

Then  a  good  chase  began.  Priscilla  had  a  long  start 
of  us,  for  we  had  bungled  at  the  wall,  but  we  were 
bound  to  catch  her. 

I  was  a  good  runner,  and  Rectus  was  light  and  ac 
tive,  although  I  am  not  sure  that  he  could  keep  up  the 
thing  very  long ;  but  the  two  yellow-legs  surprised 
me.  They  took  the  lead  of  us,  directly,  and  kept  it. 
Behind  us  came  a  lot  of  darkeys,  not  trying  to  catch 
Priscilla,  but  anxious,  I  suppose,  to  see  what  was  going 
to  happen. 

Priscilla  still  kept  well  ahead.  She  had  struck  out 
of  the  lane  into  a  road  which  led  toward  the  outskirts 
of  the  town.  I  think  we  were  beginning  to  gain  on  her 
when,  all  of  a  sudden,  she  sat  down.  With  a  shout, 
we  rushed  on,  but  before  we  reached  her  she  had 
jerked  off  both  her  shoes, — she  did  n't  wear  any  stock 
ings, —  and  she  sprang  to  her  feet  and  was  off  again. 
Waving  the  shoes  over  her  head,  she  jumped  and 
leaped  and  bounded  like  an  India-rubber  goat.  Pris 
cilla,  barefooted,  could  n't  be  caught  by  any  man  on 
the  island  :  we  soon  saw  that.  She  flew  down  the 
road,  with  the  white  dust  flying  behind  her,  until  she 
reached  a  big  limestone  quarry,  where  the  calcareous 


A    HOT   CHASE.  183 

building-material  of  the  town  is  sawn  out  in  great 
blocks,  and  there  she  made  a  sharp  turn  and  dashed 
down  in  among  the  stones.  We  reached  the  place  just 
in  time  to  see  her  run  across  the  quarry,  slip  in  between 
two  great  blocks  that  were  standing  up  like  statue 
pedestals  on  the  other  side,  and  disappear. 

We  rushed  over,  we  searched  and  looked,  here  and 
there  and  everywhere,  and  all  the  darkeys  searched 
and  looked,  but  we  found  no  Priscilla.  She  had  gone 
away. 

Puffing  and  blowing  like  four  steam-fire-engines, 
we  sat  down  on  some  stones  and  wiped  our  faces. 

"  I  guess  we  just  ran  that  upstart  queen  out  of  her 
possessions,"  said  the  tall  yellow-legs,  dusting  his 
boots  with  his  handkerchief.  He  was  satisfied. 

We  walked  home  by  the  road  at  the  edge  of  the 
harbor.  The  cool  air  from  the  water  was  very  pleasant 
to  us.  When  we  reached  the  hotel,  we  found  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Chipperton  and  Corny  sitting  outside,  in  the 
entrance  court,  waiting  for  supper-time.  A  lot  of 
arm-chairs  always  stood  there,  so  that  people  might 
sit  and  wait  for  meals,  or  anything  else  that  they 
expected.  When  Corny  heard  the  dreadful  news  of 
the  fall  of  our  kingdom,  she  was  so  shocked  that  she 
could  scarcely  speak;  and  as  for  Mrs.  Chipperton,  I 
thought  she  was  going  to  cry.  Corny  wanted  to  rush 
right  down  to  Poqua-dilla's  house  and  see  what  could 
be  done,  but  we  were  all  against  that.  No  harm  would 
come  to  the  old  woman  that  night  from  the  loss  of  her 
crown,  and  it  was  too  near  supper-time  for  any  attempt 
at  restoration,  just  then. 


184  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  Only  to  think  of  it ! "  said  Mrs.  Chipperton. 
"  After  all  we  did  for  her !  I  don't  believe  she  was 
queen  more  than  an  hour.  It  's  the  shortest  reign  I 
ever  heard  of." 

"And  that  Priscilla !  "  cried  Corny.  "The  girl  we 
trusted  to  do  so  much,  and " 

"  Paid  every  night,"  said  I. 

"Yes,"  she  continued,  "and  gave  a  pair  of  mother's 
shoes  to,  for  the  coronation  !  And  to  think  that  she 
should  deceive  us  and  do  the  usurping !  " 

The  shorter  yellow-legs,  who  had  been  standing  by 
with  his  friend,  now  made  a  remark.  He  evidently 
remembered  Corny,  on  the  Oclawaha  steam-boat, 
although  he  had  never  become  acquainted  with  her  or 
her  family. 

"  Did  your  queen  talk  French  ?  "  he  asked,  with  a 
smile  ;  "  or  was  not  that  the  language  of  the  Court  ?  " 

"  No,  it  was  n't,"  said  Corny,  gravely.  "  African 
was  the  language  of  the  Court.  But  the  queen  was 
too  polite  to  use  it  before  us,  because  she  knew  we 
did  not  understand  it,  and  could  n't  tell  what  she 
might  be  saying  about  us." 

"  Good  !  "  said  the  tall  yellow-legs.  "That  's  very 
good  indeed.  Burgan,  you  owe  her  one." 

"  One  what  ?  "  asked  Corny. 

"  Another  answer  as  good  as  that,  if  I  can  ever 
think  of  it,"  said  Mr.  Burgan. 

Corny  did  not  reply.  I  doubt  if  she  heard  him. 
Her  soul  still  ached  for  her  fallen  queen. 

"I  tell  you  what  it  is,"  said  Mr.  Chipperton,  who 
had  kept  unaccountably  quiet,  so  far.  "It  's  a  great 


A    HOT   CHASE.  185 

pity  that  I  did  not  know  about  this.  I  should  have 
liked  nothing  better  than  to  be  down  there  when  that 
usurper  girl  was  standing  on  that  throne,  or  rocking- 
chair,  or  whatever  it  was " 

"  Oh,  my  dear  !  "  said  Mrs.  Chipperton.  "  It  would 
never  have  done  for  you  to  have  exposed  your  lung  to 
such  a  scene  of  turmoil  and  confusion." 

"  Bother  my  lung ! "  cried  Mr.  Chipperton,  who 
was  now  growing  quite  excited.  "  I  would  never 
have  stood  tamely  by,  and  witnessed  such  vile  injus 
tice - 

"  We  did  n't  stand  tamely  by,"  said  I.  "  We  ran 
wildly  after  the  unjust  one." 

"  I  would  have  stood  up  before  that  crowd,"  con 
tinued  Mr.  Chipperton,  "  and  I  would  have  told  the 
people  what  I  thought  of  them.  I  would  have  asked 
them  how,  living  in  a  land  like  this,  where  the  blue 
sky  shines  on  them  for  nothing,  where  cocoa-nut  and 
the  orange  stand  always  ready  for  them  to  stretch 
forth  their  hands  and  take  them,  where  they  need  but 
a  minimum  of  clothes,  and  where  the  very  sea  around 
them  freely  yields  up  its  fish  and  its  conchs, —  or,  that 
is  to  say,  they  can  get  such  things  for  a  trifling  sum, — 
I  would  have  asked  them,  I  say,  how — when  free 
citizens  of  a  republic,  such  as  we  are,  come  from  our 
shores  of  liberty,  where  kings  and  queens  are  despised 
and  any  throne  that  is  attempted  to  be  set  up  over  us 
is  crushed  to  atoms, —  that  when  we,  I  say,  come  over 
here,  and  out  of  the  pure  kindness  and  generosity  of 
our  souls  raise  from  the  dust  a  poverty-stricken  and 
down-trodden  queen,  and  place  her,  as  nearly  as  pos- 


186  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

sible,  on  the  throne  of  her  ancestors,  and  put  upon 
her  head  a  crown, —  a  bauble  which,  in  our  own  land, 
we  trample  under  foot " 

At  this  I  shuddered,  remembering  the  sharp  points 
I  had  filed  in  our  crown. 

"  And  grind  into  the  dust,"  continued  Mr.  Chipper- 
ton, — "  I  would  ask  them,  I  say,  how  they  could  think 
of  all  this,  and  then  deliberately  subvert,  at  the  behest 
of  a  young  and  giddy  colored  hireling,  the  structure 
we  had  upraised.  And  what  could  they  have  said 
to  that,  I  would  like  to  know  ? "  he  asked,  looking 
around  from  one  to  another  of  us. 

"  Give  us  a  small  dive,  boss  ?  "  suggested  Rectus. 

"That 's  so,"  said  Mr.  Chipperton,  his  face  beaming 
into  a  broad  smile ;  "  I  believe  they  would  have  said 
that  very  thing.  You  have  hit  it  exactly.  Let  's  go 
in  to  supper." 

The  next  day,  Rectus  and  I,  with  Corny  and  Mrs. 
Chipperton,  walked  down  to  the  queen's  house,  to  see 
how  she  fared  and  what  could  be  done  for  her. 

When  we  reached  Poqua-dilla's  hut,  we  saw  her 
sitting  on  her  door-step.  By  her  side  were  several 
joints  of  sugar-cane,  and  close  to  them  stood  the 
crown,  neatly  filled  with  scarlet  pepper-pods,  which 
hung  very  prettily  over  the  peaked  points  of  brass. 
She  was  very  still,  and  her  head  rested  on  her  breast. 

"  Asleep  !"  whispered  Corny. 

"Yes,"  said  Mrs.  Chipperton,  softly,  "and  don't  let's 
waken  her.  She  's  very  well  off  as  she  is,  and  now 
that  her  house  is  a  little  more  comfortable,  it  would 
be  well  to  leave  her  in  peace,  to  peddle  what  she 


A    HOT   CHASE.  18? 

pleases  on  her  door-step.     Her  crown  will  worry  her 
less  where  it  is  than  on  her  head." 

Corny  whispered  to  her  mother,  who  nodded,  and 
took  out  her  pocket-book.  In  a  moment,  Corny,  with 
some  change  in  her  hand,  went  quietly  up  to  the  yard 
and  put  the  money  in  the  queen's  lap.  Then  we  went 
away  and  left  her,  still  asleep. 

A  day  or  two  after  this,  the  " Tigress"  came  in, 
bringing  the  mail.  We  saw  her,  from  one  of  the 
upper  porticoes,  when  she  was  just  on  the  edge  of  the 
horizon,  and  we  knew  her  by  the  way  she  stood  up 
high  in  the  water,  and  rolled  her  smoke-stack  from 
side  to  side.  She  was  the  greatest  roller  that  ever 
floated,  I  reckon,  but  a  jolly  good  ship  for  all  that ; 
and  we  were  glad  enough  to  see  her. 

There  were  a  lot  of  letters  for  us  in  her  mail.  I  had 
nine  from  the  boys  at  home,  not  to  count  those  from 
the  family. 

We  had  just  about  finished  reading  our  letters  when 
Corny  came  up  to  us  to  the  silk- cotton  tree,  where  we 
were  sitting,  and  said,  in  a  doleful  tone : 

"  We  've  got  to  go  home." 

"  Home  ?  "  we  cried  out  together.     "  When  ?  " 

"To-morrow,"  said  Corny,  ''on  the  'Tigress.'' 

All  our  good  news  and  pleasant  letters  counted  for 
nothing  now. 

"How? — why?"  said  I.  "Why  do  you  have  to 
go  ?  Is  n't  this  something  new  ?  " 

Rectus  looked  as  if  he  had  lost  his  knife,  and  I  'm  sure 
I  had  never  thought  that  I  should  care  so  much  to  hear 
that  a  girl — no  relation — was  going  away  the  next  day 


188  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  Yes,  it  is  something  new,"  said  Corny,  who  cer 
tainly  had  been  crying,  although  we  did  n't  notice  it 
at  first.  "  It  's  a  horrid  old  lawsuit.  Father  just 
heard  of  it  in  a  letter.  There  's  one  of  his  houses,  in 
New  York,  that  's  next  to  a  lot,  and  the  man  that 
owns  the  lot  says  father's  house  sticks  over  four  inches 
on  his  lot,  and  he  has  sued  him  for  that, — just  think  of 
it !  four  inches  only  !  You  could  n't  do  anything  with 
four  inches  of  dirt  if  you  had  it ;  and  father  did  n't 
know  it,  and  he  is  n't  going  to  move  his  wall  back, 
now  that  he  does  know  it,  for  the  people  in  the  house 
would  have  to  cut  all  their  carpets,  or  fold  them  under, 
which  is  just  as  bad,  and  he  says  he  must  go  right 
back  to  New  York,  and,  of  course,  we  've  all  got  to 
go,  too,  which  is  the  worst  of  it,  and  mother  and  I 
are  just  awfully  put  out." 

"What  's  the  good  of  his  going,"  asked  Rectus. 
"  Can't  he  get  a  lawyer  to  attend  to  it  all  ?  " 

"  Oh,  you  could  n't  keep  him  here  now,"  said  Corny. 
"  He  's  just  wild  to  be  ofif.  The  man  who  sued  him  is 
a  horrid  person,  and  father  says  that  if  he  don't  go 
right  back,  the  next  thing  he  '11  hear  will  be  that  old 
Colbert  will  be  trying  to  get  a  foot  instead  of  four 
inches." 

"  Old  Colbert !"  ejaculated  Rectus,"!  guess  that 
must  be  my  father." 

If  I  had  been  Rectus,  I  don't  think  I  should  have 
been  so  quick  to  guess  anything  of  that  kind  about  my 
father;  but  perhaps  he  had  heard  things  like  that 
before.  He  took  it  as  coolly  as  he  generally  took 
everything. 


A    HOT   CHASE.  189 

Corny  was  as  red  as  a  beet. 

"  Your  father  !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  I  don't  believe  it 
I  '11  go  this  very  minute  and  see." 

Rectus  was  right.  The  stingy  hankerer  after  what 
Corny  called  four  inches  of  dirt  was  his  father.  Mr. 
Chipperton  came  up  to  us  and  talked  about  the  matter, 
and  it  was  all  as  plain  as  daylight.  When  he  found 
that  Mr.  Colbert  was  the  father  of  Rectus,  Mr.  Chip 
perton  was  very  much  surprised,  and  he  called  no  more 
names,  although  I  am  sure  he  had  been  giving  old 
Colbert  a  pretty  disagreeable  sort  of  a  record.  But  he 
sat  down  by  Rectus,  and  talked  to  him  as  if  the  boy 
were  his  own  father  instead  of  himself,  and  proved  to 
him,  by  every  law  of  property  in  English,  Latin,  or 
Sanscrit,  that  the  four  inches  of  ground  were  legally, 
lawfully,  and  without  any  manner  of  doubt,  his  own, 
and  that  it  would  have  been  utterly  and  absolutely 
impossible  for  him  to  have  built  his  house  one  inch 
outside  of  his  own  land.  I  whispered  to  Rectus  that 
the  house  might  have  swelled,  but  he  did  n't  get  a 
chance  to  put  in  the  suggestion. 

Rectus  had  to  agree  to  all  Mr.  Chipperton  said  —  or, 
at  least,  he  could  n't  differ  with  him, — for  he  did  n't 
know  anything  on  earth  about  the  matter,  and  I  guess 
he  was  glad  enough  when  he  got  through.  I  'm  sure 
I  was.  Rectus  did  n't  say  anything  except  that  he 
was  very  sorry  that  the  Chipperton  family  had  to  go 
home,  and  then  he  walked  off  to  his  room. 

In  about  half  an  hour,  when  I  went  upstairs,  I  found 
Rectus  had  just  finished  a  letter  to  his  father. 

"  I  guess  that  '11  make  it  all  right,"  he  said,  and  he 


190  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

handed  me  the  letter  to  read.  It  was  a  strictly  busi 
ness  letter.  No  nonsense  about  the  folks  at  home. 
He  said  that  was  the  kind  of  business  letter  his  father 
liked.  It  ran  like  this  : 

DEAR  FATHER  :  Mr.  Chipperton  has  told  me  about  your  suing  him. 
If  he  really  has  set  his  house  over  on  four  inches  of  your  lot,  I  wish  you 
would  let  it  stand  there.  I  don't  care  much  for  him,  but  he  has  a  nice 
wife  and  a  pleasant  girl,  and  if  you  go  on  suing  him  the  whole  lot  of  them 
will  leave  here  to-morrow,  and  they  're  about  the  only  people  I  know, 
except  Gordon.  If  you  want  to,  you  can  take  a  foot  off  any  one  of  my 
three  lots,  and  that  ought  to  make  it  all  right. 

Your  affectionate  son,  SAMUEL  COLBERT. 

"  Have  you  three  lots  ?  "  I  asked,  a  good  deal  sur 
prised,  for  I  did  n't  know  that  Rectus  was  a  property- 
owner. 

"  Yes,"  said  he ;  "  my  grandmother  left  them  to 
me." 

"Are  they  right  next  to  your  father's  lot,  which 
Chipperton  cut  into  ?  " 

"  No,  they  're  nowhere  near  it,"  said  Rectus. 

I  burst  out  laughing. 

"  That  letter  wont  do  any  good,"  I  said. 

"  You  '11  see,"  said  Rectus,  and  he  went  off  to  mail  it. 

I  don't  know  what  kind  of  a  business  man  Mr.  Chip 
perton  was,  but  when  Rectus  told  him  that  he  had 
written  a  letter  to  his  father  which  would  make  the 
thing  all  right,  he  was  perfectly  satisfied ;  and  the  next 
day  we  all  went  out  in  a  sail-boat  to  the  coral-reef, 
and  had  a  splendid  time,  and  the  "Tigress"  went  off 
without  any  Chippertons.  I  think  Mr.  Chipperton  put 
the  whole  thing  down  as  the  result  of  his  lecture  to 
Rectus  up  in  the  silk-cotton  tree. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

A  STRANGE  THING   HAPPENS  TO   ME. 

FOR  several  days  after  our  hot  chase  after  Priscilla, 
we  saw  nothing  of  this  ex-emissary.  Indeed,  we 
began  to  be  afraid  that  something  had  happened  to 
her.  She  was  such  a  regular  attendant  at  the  hotel- 
door-market,  that  people  were  talking  about  missing 
her  black  face  and  her  chattering  tongue.  But  she 
turned  up  one  morning  as  gay  and  skippy  as  ever,  and 
we  saw  her  leaning  against  the  side  of  one  of  the  door 
ways  of  the  court  in  her  favorite  easy  attitude,  with  her 
head  on  one  side  and  one  foot  crossed  over  the  other, 
which  made  her  look  like  a  bronze  figure  such  as  they 
put  under  kerosene  lamps.  In  one  hand  she  had  her 
big  straw  hat,  and  in  the  other  a  bunch  of  rose-buds. 
The  moment  she  saw  Corny  she  stepped  up  to  her. 

"Wont  you  buy  some  rose-buds,  missy?"  she  said. 
"De  puttiest  rose-buds  I  ever  brought  you  yit." 

Corny  looked  at  her  with  a  withering  glare,  but 
Priscilla  did  n't  wither  a  bit.  She  was  a  poor  hand  at 
withering. 


192  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  Please  buy  'em,  missy.  I  kep'  'em  fur  you.  I  been 
a-keepin'  'em  all  de  mornin'." 

"  I  don't  see  how  you  dare  ask  me  to  buy  your  flow 
ers  !  "  exclaimed  Corny.  "  Go  away  !  I  never  want  to 
see  you  again.  After  all  you  did " 

"  Please,  missy,  buy  jist  this  one  bunch.  These  is 
the  puttiest  red-rose  buds  in  dis  whole  town.  De  red 
roses  nearly  all  gone." 

"  Nearly  all  gone,"  said  I.  "  What  do  you  mean 
by  telling  such  a  fib?" — I  was  going  to  say  "lie," 
which  was  nearer  the  truth  (if  that  is  n't  a  bull)  ;  but 
there  were  several  ladies  about,  and  Priscilla  herself 
was  a  girl.  "  You  know  that  there  are  red  roses  here 
all  the  year." 

"  Please,  boss,"  said  Priscilla,  rolling  her  eyes  at  me 
like  an  innocent  calf,  "wont  you  buy  dese  roses  fur 
missy  ?  They  's  the  puttiest  roses  I  ever  brought 
her  yit" 

"  I  guess  you  've  got  a  calcareous  conscience, 
have  n't  you  ?  "  said  Rectus. 

Priscilla  looked  at  him,  for  a  moment,  as  if  she 
thought  that  he  might  want  to  buy  something  of  that 
kind,  but  as  she  had  n't  it  to  sell,  she  tried  her  flowers 
on  him. 

"  Please,  boss,  wont  you  buy  dese  roses  fur " 

"No,"  said  Rectus,  "I  wont." 

And  we  all  turned  and  walked  away.  It  was  no  use 
to  blow  her  up.  She  would  n't  have  minded  it.  But 
she  lost  three  customers. 

I  said  before  that  I  was  the  only  one  in  our  party 
who  liked  fishing,  and  for  that  reason  I  did  n't  go 


A    STRANGE    THING    HAPPENS    TO    ME.  193 

often,  for  I  don't  care  about  taking  trips  of  that  kind 
by  myself.  But  one  day  Mr.  Burgan  and  the  other 
yellow- legs  told  me  that  they  were  going  to  fish  in 
Lake  Killarney,  a  lovely  little  lake  in  the  interior  of 
the  island,  about  five  miles  from  the  town,  and  that  if 
I  liked  I  might  go  along.  I  did  like,  and  I  went. 

I  should  have  been  better  pleased  if  they  had  gone 
there  in  a  carriage  ;  but  this  would  n't  have  suited 
these  two  fellows,  who  had  rigged  themselves  up  in 
their  buck-skin  boots,  and  had  all  the  tramping  and 
fishing  rigs  that  they  used  in  the  Adirondacks  and 
other  sporting  places  where  they  told  me  they  had 
been.  It  was  a  long  and  a  warm  walk,  and  trying  to 
find  a  good  place  for  fishing,  after  we  got  to  the  lake, 
made  the  work  harder  yet.  We  did  n't  find  any  good 
place,  and  the  few  fish  we  caught  did  n't  pay  for  the 
trouble  of  going  there ;  but  we  walked  all  over  a  big 
pine-apple  plantation  and  had  a  splendid  view  from 
the  highest  hill  on  the  whole  island. 

It  was  pretty  late  in  the  afternoon  when  we  reached 
home,  and  I  made  up  my  mind  that  the  next  time  I 
went  so  far  to  fish,  in  a  semi-tropical  country,  I  'd  go 
with  a  party  who  wore  suits  that  would  do  for  riding. 

Rectus  and  Corny  and  Mrs.  Chipperton  were  up  in 
the  silk-cotton  tree  when  I  got  home,  and  I  went 
there  and  sat  down.  Mrs.  Chipperton  lent  me  her 
fan. 

Corny  and  Rectus  were  looking  over  the  "  permis 
sion  paper  "  which  the  English  governor  had  given  us. 

"  I  guess  this  is  n't  any  more  use,  now,"  said 
Corny,  "  as  we  Ve  done  all  we  can  for  kings  and 


194  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

queens,  but  Rectus  says  that  if  you  agree  I  can  have 
it  for  my  autograph  book.  I  never  had  a  governor's 
signature." 

"  Certainly,  you  can  have  it,"  I  said.  "And  he  's  a 
different  governor  from  the  common  run.  None  of 
your  State  governors,  but  a  real  British  governor,  like 
those  old  fellows  they  set  over  us  in  our  colony-days." 

"  Indeed  !  "  said  Mrs.  Chipperton,  smiling.  "  You 
must  be  able  to  remember  a  long  way  back." 

"  Well,  you  need  n't  make  fun  of  this  governor," 
said  Corny,  "  for  he  's  a  real  nice  man.  We  met  him 
to-day,  riding  in  the  funniest  carriage  you  ever  saw  in 
your  life.  It 's  like  a  big  baby-carriage  for  twins,  only 
it  's  pulled  by  a  horse,  and  has  a  man  in  livery  to 
drive  it.  The  top  's  straw,  and  you  get  in  in  the 
middle,  and  sit  both  ways." 

"  Either  way,  my  dear,"  said  Mrs.  Chipperton. 

"Yes,  either  way,"  continued  Corny.  "Did  you 
ever  see  a  carriage  like  that  ?  " 

"I  surely  never  did,"  said  I. 

"Well,  he  was  in  it,  and  some  ladies,  and  they 
stopped  and  asked  Rectus  and  I  how  we  got  along 
with  our  queen,  and  when  I  told  them  all  about  it,  you 
ought  to  have  heard  them  laugh,  and  the  governor,  he 
said,  that  Poqua-dilla  should  n't  suffer  after  we  went 
away,  even  if  he  had  to  get  all  his  pepper-pods  from 
her.  Now,  was  n't  that  good  ?  " 

I  admitted  that  it  was,  but  I  thought  to  myself  that 
a  good  supper  and  a  bed  would  be  better,  for  I  was 
awfully  tired  and  hungry.  But  I  did  n't  say  this. 

I  slept  as  sound  as  a  rock  that  night,  and  it  was 


A    STRANGE    THING   HAPPENS.  195 

pretty  broad  daylight  when  I  woke  up.  I  don't 
believe  that  I  would  have  wakened  then,  but  I  wanted 
to  turn  over  and  could  n't,  and  that  is  enough  to  make 
any  fellow  wake  up. 

When  I  opened  my  eyes,  I  found  myself  in  the 
worst  fix  I  had  ever  been  in  in  my  life.  I  could  n't 
move  my  arms  or  my  legs,  for  my  arms  were  tied  fast 
to  my  body,  at  the  elbows  and  wrists,  and  my  feet 
and  my  knees  were  tied  together.  I  was  lying  flat  on 
my  back,  but  I  could  turn  my  head  over  to  where 
Rectus'  bed  stood  —  it  was  a  small  one  like  mine — 
and  he  wasn't  there.  I  sung  out: 

"  Rectus  !  "  and  gave  a  big  heave,  which  made  the 
bed  rattle.  I  was  scared. 

In  a  second,  Rectus  was  standing  by  me.  He  had 
been  sitting  by  the  window.  He  was  all  dressed. 

"  Don't  shout  that  way  again,"  he  said,  in  a  low 
voice,  "  or  I  '11  have  to  tie  this  handkerchief  over  your 
mouth,"  and  he  showed  me  a  clean  linen  handkerchief 
all  folded  up,  ready.  "  I  wont  put  it  so  that  it  will 
stop  your  breathing,"  he  said,  as  coolly  as  if  this  sort 
of  thing  was  nothing  unusual.  "  I  '11  leave  your  nose 
free." 

"  Let  me  up,  you  little  rascal  !  "  I  cried.  "  Did  you 
do  this  ?  " 

At  that  he  deliberately  laid  the  handkerchief  over 
my  mouth  and  fastened  it  around  my  head.  He  was 
careful  to  leave  my  nose  all  right,  but  I  was  so  mad 
that  I  could  scarcely  breathe.  I  knew  by  the  way  he 
acted  that  he  had  tied  me,  and  I  had  never  had  such 
a  trick  played  on  me  before.  But  it  was  no  use  to  be 


196  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

mad.  I  could  n't  do  anything,  though  I  tugged  and 
twisted  my  very  best.  He  had  had  a  good  chance  to 
tie  me  up  well,  for  I  had  slept  so  soundly.  I  was 
regularly  bandaged. 

He  stood  by  me  for  a  few  minutes,  watching  to  see 
if  I  needed  any  more  fixing,  but  when  he  made  up 
his  mind  that  I  was  done  up  securely,  he  brought  a 
chair  and  sat  down  by  the  side  of  the  bed  and  began 
to  talk  to  me.  I  never  saw  anything  like  the  audacity 
of  the  boy. 

"  You  need  n't  think  it  was  mean  to  tie  you,  when 
you  were  so  tired  and  sleepy,  for  I  intended  to  do  it 
this  morning,  any  way,  for  you  always  sleep  sound 
enough  in  the  mornings  to  let  a  fellow  tie  you  up  as 
much  as  he  pleases.  And  I  suppose  you  '11  say  it 
was  mean  to  tie  you,  any  way,  but  you  know  well 
enough  that  it  's  no  use  for  me  to  argue  with  you,  for 
you  would  n't  listen.  But  now  you  've  got  to  listen, 
and  I  wont  let  you  up  till  you  promise  never  to  call 
me  Rectus  again." 

"  The  little  rascal  !  "  I  thought  to  myself.  I  might 
have  made  some  noise  in  spite  of  the  handkerchief, 
but  I  thought  it  better  not,  for  I  did  n't  know  what 
else  he  might  pile  on  my  mouth. 

"  It  is  n't  my  name,  and  I  'm  tired  of  it,"  he  con 
tinued.  "  I  did  n't  mind  it  at  school,  and  I  did  n't 
mind  it  when  we  first  started  out  together,  but  I  Ve 
had  enough  of  it  now,  and  I  've  made  up  my  mind 
that  I  '11  make  you  promise  never  to  call  me  by  that 
name  again." 

I  vowed  to  myself  that  I  would  call   him   Rectus 


A    STRANGE    THING    HAPPENS. 


197 


until  his  hair  was  gray.  I  'd  write  letters  to  him 
wherever  he  lived,  and  direct  them  :  "Rectus  Colbert" 
'  There  was  n't  any  other  way  to  do  it,  and  so  I  did 
it  this  way,"  he  said.  "  I  'm  sorry,  really,  to  have  to 
tie  you  up  so,  because  I  would  n't  like  it  myself,  and 


WOULD    N'T    LIKE    IT    MYSELF.' 


I  would  n't  have  put  that  handkerchief  over  your 
mouth  if  you  had  agreed  to  keep  quiet,  but  I  don't 
want  anybody  coming  in  here  until  you've  promised." 


198  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  Promise  !  "  I  thought ;  "  I  '11  never  promise  you 
that  while  the  world  rolls  round." 

"  I  know  you  can't  say  anything  with  that  handker 
chief  over  your  mouth ;  but  you  don't  have  to  speak. 
Your  toes  are  loose.  When  you  're  ready  to  promise 
never  to  call  me  Rectus  again,  just  wag  your  big  toe, 
either  one." 

I  stiffened  my  toes,  as  if  my  feet  were  cast  in  brass. 
Rectus  moved  his  chair  a  little  around,  so  that  he 
could  keep  an  eye  on  my  toes.  Then  he  looked  at  his 
watch,  and  said  : 

"  It  's  seven  o'clock  now,  and  that  's  an  hour  from 
breakfast  time.  I  don't  want  to  keep  you  there  any 
longer  than  I  can  help.  You  'd  better  wag  your  toe 
now,  and  be  done  with  it.  It  's  no  use  to  wait." 

"  Wag  ?  "  I  thought  to  myself.     "  Never  !  " 

"I  know  what  you  're  thinking,"  he  went  on.  "  You 
think  that  if  you  lie  there  long  enough,  you  '11  be  all 
right,  for  when  the  chambermaid  comes  to  do  up  the 
room,  I  must  let  her  in,  or  else  I  '11  have  to  say 
you  're  sick,  and  then  the  Chippertons  will  come 
up." 

That  was  exactly  what  I  was  thinking. 

"  But  that  wont  do  you  any  good,"  said  he,  "  I  've 
thought  of  all  that." 

He  was  a  curious  boy.  How  such  a  thing  as  this 
should  have  come  into  his  mind,  I  could  n't  imagine. 
He  must  have  read  of  something  of  the  kind.  But 
to  think  of  his  trying  it  on  me  !  I  ground  my  teeth. 

He  sat  and  watched  me  for  some  time  longer.  Once 
or  twice  he  fixed  the  handkerchief  over  my  mouth, 


A    STRANGE    THING   HAPPENS.  199 

for  he  seemed  anxious  that  I  should  be  as  comfortable 
as  possible.  He  was  awfully  kind,  to  be  sure  ! 

"  It  is  n't  right  that  anybody  should  have  such  a 
name  sticking  to  them  always/'  he  said.  "  And  if  I  'd 
thought  you  'd  have  stopped  it,  I  would  n't  have  done 
this.  But  I  knew  you.  You  would  just  have  laughed 
and  kept  on." 

The  young  scoundrel !     Why  did  n't  he  try  me  ? 

"Yesterday,  when  the  governor  met  us,  Corny 
called  me  Rectus,  and  even  he  said  that  was  a  curious 
name,  and  he  did  n't  remember  that  I  gave  it  to  him, 
when  he  wrote  that  paper  for  us." 

Oh,  ho  !  That  was  it,  was  it  ?  Getting  proud  and 
meeting  governors  !  Young  prig  ! 

Now  Rectus  was  quiet  a  little  longer,  and  then  he 
got  up. 

"  I  did  n't  think  you  'd  be  so  stubborn,"  he  said, 
"  but  perhaps  you  know  your  own  business  best.  I  'm 
not  going  to  keep  you  there  until  breakfast  is  ready, 
and  people  want  to  come  in." 

Then  he  went  over  to  the  window,  and  came  back 
directly  with  a  little  black  paint-pot,  with  a  brush 
in  it. 

"  Now,"  said  he,  "  if  you  don't  promise,  in  five 
minutes,  to  never  call  me  Rectus  again,  I  'm  going  to 
paint  one-half  of  your  face  black.  I  got  this  paint 
yesterday  from  the  cane-man,  on  purpose." 

Oil-paint !     I  could  smell  it. 

"  Now,  you  may  be  sure  I  'm  going  to  do  it,"  he 
said. 

Oh,  I  was  sure  !     When  he  said  he  'd  do  a  thing,  I 


200  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

knew  he  'd  do  it.  I  had  no  doubts  about  that.  He 
was  great  on  sticking  to  his  word. 

He  had  put  his  watch  on  the  table  near  by,  and  was 
stirring  up  the  paint. 

"You  've  only  three  minutes  more,"  he  said.  "This 
stuff  wont  wash  off  in  a  hurry,  and  you  '11  have  to  stay 
up  here  by  yourself,  and  wont  need  any  tying.  It  's 
got  stuff  mixed  with  it  to  make  it  dry  soon,  so  that 
you  need  n't  lie  there  very  long  after  I  Ve  painted 
you.  You  must  n't  mind  if  I  put  my  finger  on  your 
mouth  when  I  take  off  the  handkerchief;  I  '11  be 
careful  not  to  get  any  in  your  eyes  or  on  your  lips  if 
you  hold  your  head  still.  One  minute  more.  Will 
you  promise  ?  " 

What  a  dreadful  minute !  He  turned  and  looked  at 
my  feet.  I  gave  one  big  twist  in  my  bandages.  All 
held.  I  wagged  my  toe. 

"  Good  !  "  said  he.  "  I  did  n't  want  to  paint  you. 
But  I  would  have  done  it,  sure  as  shot,  if  you  had  n't 
promised.  Now  I  '11  untie  you.  I  can  trust  you  to  stick 
to  your  word, —  I  mean  your  wag,"  he  said,  with  a  grin. 

It  took  him  a  long  time  to  undo  me.  The  young 
wretch  had  actually  pinned  long  strips  of  muslin  around 
me,  and  he  had  certainly  made  a  good  job  of  it,  for 
they  did  n't  hurt  me  at  all,  although  they  held  me  tight 
enough.  He  said,  as  he  was  working  at  me,  that  he 
had  torn  up  two  old  shirts  to  make  these  bandages, 
and  had  sewed  some  of  the  strips  together  the  after 
noon  before.  He  said  he  had  heard  of  something  like 
this  being  done  at  a  school.  A  pretty  school  that 
must  have  been ! 


A    STRANGE    THING    HAPPENS.  201 

He  unfastened  my  arms  first, —  that  is,  as  soon  as  he 
had  taken  the  handkerchief  off  my  mouth, — and  the 
moment  he  had  taken  the  bandage  from  around  my 
ankles,  he  put  for  the  door.  But  I  was  ready.  I  sprang 
out  of  bed,  made  one  jump  over  his  bed,  around  which 
he  had  to  go,  and  caught  him  just  at  the  door. 

He  forgot  that  he  should  have  left  my  ankles  for  me 
to  untie  for  myself. 

I  guess  the  people  in  the  next  rooms  must  have 
thought  there  was  something  of  a  rumpus  in  our  room 
when  I  caught  him. 

There  was  considerable  coolness  between  Colbert 
and  me  after  that.  In  fact,  we  did  n't  speak.  I  was 
not  at  all  anxious  to  keep  this  thing  up,  for  I  was  satis 
fied,  and  was  perfectly  willing  to  call  it  square ;  but 
for  the  first  time  since  I  had  known  him,  Colbert  was 
angry.  I  suppose  every  fellow,  no  matter  how  good- 
natured  he  may  be,  must  have  some  sort  of  a  limit  to 
what  he  will  stand,  and  Colbert  seemed  to  have  drawn 
his  line  at  a  good  thrashing. 

It  was  n't  hard  for  me  to  keep  my  promise  to  him, 
for  I  did  n't  call  him  anything ;  but  I  should  have  kept 
it  all  the  same  if  we  had  been  on  the  old  terms. 

Of  course,  Corny  soon  found  out  that  there  was 
something  the  matter  between  us  two,  and  she  set 
herself  to  find  out  what  it  was. 

"  What  's  the  matter  with  you  and  Rectus  ?  "  she 
asked  me  the  next  day.  I  was  standing  in  the  car 
riage-way  before  the  hotel,  and  she  ran  out  to  me. 

"You   must  n't   call  him  Rectus,1'  said   I.     "He 
does  n't  like  it." 
9* 


202  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"Well,  then,  I  wont,"  said  she.  "  But  what  is  it  all 
about  ?  Did  you  quarrel  about  calling  him  that  ?  I 
hate  to  see  you  both  going  about,  and  not  speaking  to 
each  other." 

I  had  no  reason  to  conceal  anything,  and  so  I  told 
her  the  whole  affair,  from  the  very  beginning  to  the  end. 

"  I  don't  wonder  he  's  mad,"  said  she,  "  if  you 
thrashed  him." 

"  Well,  and  ought  n't  I  to  be  mad  after  the  way  he 
treated  me  ?  "  I  asked. 

"Yes,"  she  said.  "It  makes  me  sick  just  to  think 
of  being  tied  up  in  that  way, — and  the  black  paint, 
too !  But  then  you  are  so  much  bigger  than  he  is, 
that  it  don't  seem  right  for  you  to  thrash  him." 

"  That  's  one  reason  I  did  it,"  said  I.  "  I  did  n't 
want  to  fight  him  as  I  should  have  fought  a  fellow  of 
my  own  size.  I  wanted  to  punish  him.  Do  you  think 
that  when  a  father  wants  to  whip  his  son  he  ought  to 
wait  until  he  grows  up  as  big  as  he  is  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  Corny,  very  gravely.  "  Of  course  not. 
But  Rectus  is  n't  your  son.  What  shall  I  call  him  ? 
Samuel,  or  Sam  ?  I  don't  like  either  of  them,  and  I 
wont  say  Mr.  Colbert.  I  think  ' Rectus'  is  a  great 
deal  nicer. 

"  So  do  I,"  I  said  ;  "  but  that  's  his  affair.  To  be 
sure,  he  is  n't  my  son,  but  he  's  under  my  care,  and  if 
he  was  n't,  it  would  make  no  difference.  I  'd  thrash 
any  boy  alive  who  played  such  a  trick  on  me." 

"  Unless  he  was  bigger  than  you  are,"  said  Corny. 

"  Well,  then  I  'd  get  you  to  help  me.  You  'd  do  it; 
would  n't  you,  Corny  ?  " 


A    STRANGE    THING   HAPPENS.  203 

She  laughed. 

"  I  guess  I  could  n't  help  much,  and  I  suppose 
you  're  both  right  to  be  angry  at  each  other ;  but  I  'm 
awful  sorry  if  things  are  going  on  this  way.  It  did  n't 
seem  like  the  same  place  yesterday.  Nobody  did  any 
thing  at  all." 

"  I  tell  you  what  it  is,  Corny,"  said  I.  "  You  're  not 
angry  with  either  of  us ;  are  you  ?  " 

"  No,  indeed,"  said  she,  and  her  face  warmed  up 
and  her  eyes  shone. 

"  That  's  one  comfort,"  said  I,  and  I  gave  her  a  good 
hand-shake. 

It  must  have  looked  funny  to  see  a  boy  and  a  girl 
shaking  hands  there  in  front  of  the  hotel,  and  a  young 
darkey  took  advantage  of  our  good-humor,  and,  steal 
ing  out  from  a  shady  corner  of  the  court,  sold  us  seven 
little  red  and  black  liquorice-seed  for  fourpence, — the 
worst  swindle  that  had  been  worked  on  us  vet. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

MR.    CHIPPERTON   KEEPS   PERFECTLY  COOL. 

IT  'S  of  no  use  to  deny  the  fact  that  Nassau  was 
a  pretty  dull  place,  just  about  this  time.  At  least 
Corny  and  I  found  it  so,  and  I  don't  believe  young 
Mr.  Colbert  was  very  happy,  for  he  did  n't  look  it. 
It  's  not  to  be  supposed  that  our  quarrel  affected  the 
negroes,  or  the  sky,  or  the  taste  of  bananas ;  but  the 
darkeys  did  n't  amuse  me,  and  my  recollection  of 
those  days  is  that  they  were  cloudy,  and  that  I  was  n't 
a  very  good  customer  down  in  the  market-house  by 
the  harbor,  where  we  used  to  go  and  buy  little  fig- 
bananas,  which  they  did  n't  have  at  the  hotel,  but 
which  were  mighty  good  to  eat. 

Colbert  and  I  still  kept  up  a  frigid  reserve  toward 
each  other.  He  thought,  I  suppose,  that  I  ought  to 
speak  first,  because  I  was  the  older,  and  I  thought  that 
he  ought  to  speak  first  because  he  was  the  younger. 

One  evening,  I  went  up  into  my  room,  having  abso 
lutely  nothing  else  to  do,  and  there  I  found  Colbert, 
writing.  I  suppose  he  was  writing  a  letter,  but  there 


MR.  CHIPPERTON  KEEPS  COOL.  205 

was  no  need  of  doing  this  at  night,  as  the  mail  would 
not  go  out  for  several  days,  and  there  would  be  plenty 
of  time  to  write  in  the  daytime.  He  had  n't  done 
anything  but  lounge  about  for  two  or  three  days.  Per 
haps  he  came  up  here  to  write  because  he  had  nothing 
else  to  do. 

There  was  only  one  table,  and  I  could  n't  write  if  I 
had  wanted  to,  so  I  opened  my  trunk  and  began  to 
put  some  of  my  things  in  order.  We  had  arranged, 
before  we  had  fallen  out,  that  we  should  go  home  on 
the  next  steamer,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chipperton  were 
going  too.  We  had  been  in  Nassau  nearly  a  month, 
and  had  seen  about  as  much  as  was  to  be  seen  —  in  an 
ordinary  way.  As  for  me,  I  could  n't  afford  to  stay 
any  longer,  and  that  had  been  the  thing  that  had  set 
tled  the  matter,  as  far  as  Colbert  and  I  were  concerned. 
But  now  he  might  choose  to  stay,  and  come  home  by 
himself.  However,  there  was  no  way  of  my  knowing 
what  he  thought,  and  I  supposed  that  I  had  no  real 
right  to  make  him  come  with  me.  At  any  rate,  if  I 
had,  I  did  n't  intend  to  exercise  it. 

While  I  was  looking  over  the  things  in  my  trunk,  I 
came  across  the  box  of  dominoes  that  Corny  had 
given  us  to  remember  her  by.  It  seemed  like  a  long 
time  ago  since  we  had  been  sitting  together  on  the 
water-battery  at  St.  Augustine !  In  a  few  minutes  I 
took  the  box  of  dominoes  in  my  hand  and  went  over 
to  Colbert.  As  I  put  them  on  the  table  he  looked  up. 

"  What  do  you  say  to  a  game  of  dominoes  ?  "  I  said. 
"This  is  the  box  Corny  gave  us.  We  have  n't  used  it  y et. " 

"  Very  well,"  said  he,  and  he  pushed  away  his  paper 


206  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

and  emptied  the  dominoes  out  on  the  table.  Then  he 
picked  up  some  of  them,  and  looked  at  them  as  if  they 
were  made  in  some  new  kind  of  a  way  that  he  had 
never  noticed  before ;  and  I  picked  up  some,  too,  and 
examined  them.  Then  we  began  to  play.  We  did 
not  talk  very  much,  but  we  played  as  if  it  was  neces 
sary  to  be  very  careful  to  make  no  mistakes.  I  won  the 
first  game,  and  I  could  not  help  feeling  a  little  sorry, 
while  Colbert  looked  as  if  he  felt  rather  glad.  We 
played  until  about  our  ordinary  bed- time,  and  then  I  said : 

"  Well,  Colbert,  I  guess  we  might  as  well  stop,"  and 
he  said : 

"  Very  well." 

But  he  did  n't  get  ready  to  go  to  bed.  He  went  to 
the  window  and  looked  out  for  some  time,  and  then  he 
came  back  to  the  table  and  sat  down.  He  took  his 
pen  and  began  to  print  on  the  lid  of  the  domino-box, 
which  was  of  smooth  white  wood.  He  could  print 
names  and  titles  of  things  very  neatly,  a  good  deal 
better  than  I  could. 

When  he  had  finished,  he  got  up  and  began  to  get 
ready  for  bed,  leaving  the  box  on  the  table.  Pretty 
soon  I  went  over  to  look  at  it,  for  I  must  admit  I  was 
rather  curious  to  see  what  he  had  put  on  it.  This  was 
the  inscription  he  had  printed  on  the  lid : 

"GIVEN  TO 
WILL  AND  RECTUS 

BY 

CORNY. 
ST.   AUGUSTINE,   FLORIDA." 


MR.  CHIPPERTON  KEEPS  COOL.  207 

There  was  a  place  left  for  the  date,  which  I  suppose 
he  had  forgotten.  I  made  no  remark  about  this 
inscription,  for  I  did  not  know  exactly  what  remark  was 
needed;  but  the  next  morning  I  called  him  "Rectus," 
just  the  same  as  ever,  for  I  knew  he  had  printed  our 
names  on  the  box  to  show  me  that  he  wanted  to  let 
me  off  my  promise.  I  guess  the  one  time  I  called 
him  Colbert  was  enough  for  him. 

When  we  came  down  stairs  to  breakfast,  talking  tc 
each  other  like  common  people,  it  was  better  than 
most  shows  to  see  Corny 's  face.  She  was  standing  at 
the  front  door,  not  far  from  the  stairs,  and  it  actually 
seemed  as  if  a  candle  had  been  lighted  inside  of  her. 
Her  face  shone. 

I  know  I  felt  first-rate,  and  I  think  Rectus  must 
have  felt  pretty  much  the  same,  for  his  tongue  rattled 
away  at  a  rate  that  was  n't  exactly  usual  with  him. 
There  was  no  mistaking  Corny's  feelings. 

After  breakfast,  when  we  all  got  together  to  talk 
over  the  plans  of  the  day, — a  thing  we  had  n't  done 
for  what  seemed  to  me  about  a  week, — we  found  out 
— or  rather  remembered — that  there  were  a  lot  of 
things  in  Nassau  that  we  had  n't  seen  yet,  and  that 
we  would  n't  miss  for  anything.  We  had  been  wasting 
time  terribly  lately,  and  the  weather  was  now  rather 
better  for  going  about  than  it  had  been  since  we  came 
to  the  place. 

We  agreed  to  go  to  Fort  Charlotte  that  morning, 
and  see  the  subterranean  rooms  and  passage-ways, 
and  all  the  underground  dreariness  of  which  we  had 
heard  so  much.  The  fort  was  built  about  a  hundred 


208  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

years  ago,  and  has  no  soldiers  in  it.  To  go  around 
and  look  at  the  old  forts  in  this  part  of  the  world 
might  make  a  person  believe  the  millennium  had  come. 
They  seem  just  about  as  good  as  ever  they  were,  but 
they  're  all  on  a  peace-footing.  Rectus  said  they 
were  played  out,  but  I  'd  rather  take  my  chances 
in  Fort  Charlotte,  during  a  bombardment,  than  in 
some  of  the  new-style  forts  that  I  have  seen  in  the 
North.  It  is  almost  altogether  underground,  in  the 
solid  calcareous,  and  what  could  any  fellow  want  bet 
ter  than  that?  The  cannon-balls  and  bombs  would 
have  to  plow  up  about  an  acre  of  pretty  solid  rock, 
and  plow  it  deep,  too,  before  they  would  begin 
to  scratch  the  roof  of  the  real  strongholds  of  this  fort. 
At  least,  that  's  the  way  I  looked  at  it. 

We  made  up  a  party  and  walked  over.  It  's  at  the 
western  end  of  the  town,  and  about  a  mile  from  the 
hotel.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chipperton  were  with  us,  and  a 
lady  from  Chicago,  and  Mr.  Burgan.  The  other  yel 
low-legs  went  out  riding  with  his  wife,  but  I  think  he 
wanted  to  go  with  us.  The  fort  is  on  the  top  of  a  hill, 
and  a  colored  shoemaker  is  in  command.  He  sits  and 
cobbles  all  day,  except  when  visitors  come,  and  then 
he  shows  them  around.  He  lighted  a  lamp  and  took 
us  down  into  the  dark,  quiet  rooms  and  cells,  that 
were  cut  out  of  the  solid  rock,  down  deep  into  the  hill, 
and  it  was  almost  like  being  in  a  coal-mine,  only  it 
was  a  great  deal  cleaner  and  not  so  deep.  But  it 
seemed  just  as  much  out  of  the  world.  In  some 
of  the  rooms  there  were  bats  hanging  to  the  ceilings. 
We  did  n't  disturb  them.  One  of  the  rooms  was 


MR.   CHIPPERTON  KEEPS  COOL.  209 

called  the  governor's  room.  There  was  n't  any 
governor  there,  of  course,  but  it  had  been  made  by 
the  jolly  old  earl  who  had  the  place  cut  out, — and 
who  was  governor  here  at  the  time, — as  a  place  where 
he  might  retire  when  he  wanted  to  be  private.  It 
was  the  most  private  apartment  I  ever  saw.  This  earl 
was  the  same  old  Dunmore  we  used  to  study  about  in 
our  histories.  He  came  over  here  when  the  Revo 
lution  threw  him  out  of  business  in  our  country.  He 
had  some  good  ideas  about  chiselling  rock. 

This  part  of  the  fort  was  so  extremely  subterranean 
and  solemn  that  it  was  n't  long  before  Mrs.  Chipper- 
ton  had  enough  of  it,  and  we  came  up.  It  was  fine  to 
get  out  into  the  open  air,  and  see  the  blue  sky  and 
the  bright,  sparkling  water  of  the  harbor  just  below 
us,  and  the  islands  beyond,  and  still  beyond  them  the 
blue  ocean,  with  everything  so  bright  and  cheerful  in 
the  sunlight.  If  I  had  been  governor  of  this  place,  I 
should  have  had  my  private  room  on  top  of  the  fort, 
although,  of  course,  that  would  n't  do  so  well  in  times 
of  bombardment. 

But  the  general-in-chief  did  not  let  us  ofif  yet.  He 
said  he  'd  show  us  the  most  wonderful  thing  in  the 
whole  place,  and  then  he  took  us  out-of-doors  again, 
and  led  us  to  a  little  shed  or  enclosed  door-way 
just  outside  of  the  main  part  of  the  fort,  but  inside 
of  the  fortifications,  where  he  had  his  bench  and 
tools.  He  moved  away  the  bench,  and  then  we  saw 
that  it  stood  on  a  wooden  trap-door.  He  took 
hold  of  a  ring,  and  lifted  up  this  door,  and  there 
was  a  round  hole  about  as  big  as  the  hind  wheel 


210  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

of  a  carriage.  It  was  like  a  well,  and  was  as  dark 
as  pitch.  When  we  held  the  lamp  over  it,  how 
ever,  we  could  see  that  there  were  winding  steps 
leading  down  into  it.  These  steps  were  cut  out  of  the 
rock,  as  was  the  hole  and  the  pillar  around  which  the 
steps  wound.  It  was  all  one  piece.  The  general 
took  his  lamp  and  went  down  ahead,  and  we  all  fol 
lowed,  one  by  one.  Those  who  were  most  afraid  and 
went  last  had  the  worst  of  it,  for  the  lamp  was  n't 
a  calcium  light  by  any  means,  and  their  end  of  the  line 
was  a  good  deal  in  the  dark.  But  we  all  got  to 
the  bottom  of  the  well  at  last,  and  there  we  found  a 
long,  narrow  passage  leading  under  the  very  founda 
tion  or  bottom  floor  of  the  whole  place,  and  then  it  led 
outside  of  the  fort  under  the  moat,  which  was  dry 
now,  but  which  used  to  be  full  of  water,  and  so,  on 
and  on,  in  black  darkness,  to  a  place  in  the  side  of  the 
hill,  or  somewhere,  where  there  had  been  a  lookout. 
Whether  there  were  any  passages  opening  into  this  or 
not,  I  don't  know,  for  it  was  dark  in  spite  of  the  lamp, 
and  we  all  had  to  walk  in  single  file,  so  there  was  n't 
much  chance  for  exploring  sidewise.  When  we  got  to 
the  end,  we  were  glad  enough  to  turn  around  and 
come  back.  It  was  a  good  thing  to  see  such  a  place, 
but  there  was  a  feeling  that  if  the  walls  should  cave  in 
a  little,  or  a  big  rock  should  fall  from  the  top  of 
the  passage,  we  should  all  be  hermetically  canned  in 
very  close  quarters.  When  we  came  out,  we  gave 
the  shoemaker  commander  some  money,  and  came 
away. 

"  Is  n't  it  nice,"  said  Corny,  "  that  he  is  n't  a  queen, 


MR.  CHIPPERTON  KEEPS  COOL.  211 

to  be  taken  care  of,  and  we  can  just  pay  him  and 
come  away,  and  not  have  to  think  of  him  any  more  ?  " 

We  agreed  to  that,  but  I  said  I  thought  we  ought 
to  go  and  take  one  more  look  at  our  old  queen 
before  we  left.  Mrs.  Chipperton,  who  was  a  really 
sensible  woman  when  she  had  a  chance,  objected  to 
this,  because,  she  said,  it  would  be  better  to  let  the  old 
woman  alone  now.  We  could  n't  do  anything  for  her 
after  we  left,  and  it  would  be  better  to  let  her  depend 
on  her  own  exertions,  now  that  she  had  got  started 
again  on  that  track.  I  did  n't  think  that  the  word 
exertion  was  a  very  good  one  in  Poqua-dilla's  case,  but 
I  did  n't  argue  the  matter.  I  thought  that  if  some  of 
us  dropped  around  there  before  we  left,  and  gave  her 
a  couple  of  shillings,  it  would  not  interfere  much  with 
her  mercantile  success  in  the  future. 

I  thought  this,  but  Corny  spoke  it  right  out — at 
least,  what  she  said  amounted  to  pretty  much  the 
same  thing. 

"  Well,"  said  her  mother,  "  we  might  go  around 
there  once  more,  especially  as  your  father  has  never 
seen  the  queen  at  all.  Mr.  Chipperton,  would  you 
like  to  see  the  African  queen  ?  " 

Mr.  Chipperton  did  not  answer,  and  his  wife  turned 
around  quickly.  She  had  been  walking  ahead  with 
the  Chicago  lady. 

"Why,  where  is  he?"  she  exclaimed.  We  all 
stopped  and  looked  about,  but  could  n't  see  him.  He 
was  n't  there.  We  were  part  way  down  the  hill,  but 
not  far  from  the  fort,  and  we  stopped  and  looked  back, 
and  then  Corny  called  him.  I  said  that  I  would  run 


212  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

back  for  him,  as  he  had  probably  stopped  to  talk  with 
the  shoemaker.  Rectus  and  I  both  ran  back,  and 
Corny  came  with  us.  The  shoemaker  had  put  his 
bench  in  its  place  over  the  trap-door,  and  was  again 
at  work.  But  Mr.  Chipperton  was  not  talking  to 
him. 

"  I  '11  tell  you  what  I  believe," — said  Corny, 
gasping. 

But  it  was  of  no  use  to  wait  to  hear  what  she 
believed.  I  believed  it  myself. 

"  Hello !"  I  cried  to  the  shoemaker  before  I  reached 
him.  "  Did  a  gentleman  stay  behind  here  ?" 

"  I  did  n't  see  none,"  said  the  man,  looking  up  in 
surprise,  as  we  charged  on  him. 

"Then,"  I  cried,  "he  's  shut  down  in  that  well! 
Jump  up  and  open  the  door  !  " 

The  shoemaker  did  jump  up,  and  we  helped  him 
move  the  bench,  and  had  the  trap-door  open  in  no 
time.  By  this,  the  rest  of  the  party  had  come  back, 
and  when  Mrs.  Chipperton  saw  the  well  open  and  no 
Mr.  Chipperton  about,  she  turned  as  white  as  a  sheet. 
We  could  hardly  wait  for  the  man  to  light  his  lamp, 
and  as  soon  as  he  started  down  the  winding  stairs, 
Rectus  and  I  followed  him.  I  called  back  to  Mrs. 
Chipperton  and  the  others  that  they  need  not  come ; 
we  would  be  back  in  a  minute  and  let  them  know 
But  it  was  of  no  use ;  they  all  came.  We  hurried  on 
after  the  man  with  the  light,  and  passed  straight  ahead 
through  the  narrow  passage  to  the  very  end  of  it. 

There  stood  Mr.  Chipperton,  holding  a  lighted 
match,  which  he  had  just  struck.  He  was  looking  at 


MR.  CHIPPERTON  KEEPS  COOL.  213 

something  on  the  wall.  As  we  ran  in,  he  turned  and 
smiled,  and  was  just  going  to  say  something,  when 
Corny  threw  herself  into  his  arms,  and  his  wife, 
squeezing  by,  took  him  around  his  neck  so  suddenly 
that  his  hat  flew  off  and  bumped  on  the  floor,  like  an 
empty  tin  can.  He  always  wore  a  high  silk  hat.  He 
made  a  grab  for  his  hat,  and  the  match  burned  his 
fingers. 

"  Aouch  !  "  he  exclaimed,  as  he  dropped  the  match. 
"  What  's  the  matter  ?  " 

"Oh,  my  dear!"  exclaimed  his  wife.  "How  dread 
ful  to  leave  you  here  !  Shut  up  alone  in  this  awful 
place !  But  to  think  we  have  found  you  !  " 

"No  trouble  about  that,  I  should  say,"  remarked 
Mr.  Chipperton,  going  over  to  the  other  side  of  the 
den  after  his  hat.  "You  have  n't  been  gone  ten 
minutes,  and  it 's  a  pretty  straight  road  back  here." 

"But  how  did  it  happen  ?  "  "Why  did  you  stay?" 
"  Were  n't  you  frightened  ?  "  "  Did  you  stay  on  pur 
pose  ?  "  we  all  asked  him  at  pretty  much  one  and  the 
same  time. 

"  I  did  stay  on  purpose,"  said  he ;  "  but  I  did  not 
expect  to  stay  but  a  minute,  and  had  no  idea  you 
would  go  and  leave  me.  I  stopped  to  see  what  in  the 
name  of  common  sense  this  place  was  made  for.  I 
tried  my  best  to  make  some  sort  of  an  observation  out 
of  this  long,  narrow  loop-hole,  but  found  I  could  see 
nothing  of  importance  whatever,  and  so  I  made  up  my 
mind  it  was  money  thrown  away  to  cut  out  such  a 
place  as  this  to  so  little  purpose.  When  I  had  entirely 
made  up  my  mind,  I  found,  on  turning  around,  that 


214  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

you  had  gone,  and  although  I  called  I  received  no 
answer. 

"  Then  I  knew  I  was  alone  in  this  place.  But  I  was 
perfectly  composed.  No  agitation,  no  tremor  of  the 
nerves.  Absolute  self-control.  The  moment  I  found 
myself  deserted,  I  knew  exactly  what  to  do.  I  did 
precisely  the  same  thing  that  I  would  have  done  had  I 
been  left  alone  in  the  Mammoth  Cave,  or  the  Cave  of 
Fingal,  or  any  place  of  the  kind. 

"  I  stood  perfectly  still ! 

"  If  you  will  always  remember  to  do  that,"  and  he 
looked  as  well  as  he  could  from  one  to  another  of  us, 
"  you  need  never  be  frightened,  no  matter  how  dark 
and  lonely  a  cavern  you  may  be  left  in.  Strive  to 
reflect  that  you  will  soon  be  missed,  and  that  your 
friends  will  naturally  come  back  to  the  place  where 
they  saw  you  last.  Stay  there  !  Keep  that  important 
duty  in  your  mind.  Stay  just  where  you  are !  If 
you  run  about  to  try  and  find  your  way  out,  you  will 
be  lost.  You  will  lose  yourself,  and  no  one  can  find 
you. 

"  Instances  are  not  uncommon  where  persons  have 
been  left  behind  in  the  Mammoth  Cave  of  Kentucky, 
and  who  were  not  found  by  searching  parties  for  a  day 
or  two,  and  they  were  almost  invariably  discovered  in 
an  insane  condition.  They  rushed  wildly  about  in  the 
dark ;  got  away  from  the  ordinary  paths  of  tourists ; 
could  n't  be  found,  and  went  crazy, — a  very  natural 
consequence.  Now,  nothing  of  the  kind  happened  to 
me.  I  remained  where  I  was,  and  here  you  see,  in  less 
than  ten  minutes,  I  am  rescued  ! " 


MR.  CHIPPERTON  KEEPS  COOL.  215 

And  he  looked  around  with  a  smile  as  pleasant  as 
if  he  had  just  invented  a  new  sewing-machine. 

"But  were  you  not  frightened, —  a  we- struck  in  this 
dark  and  horrible  place,  alone  ?  "  inquired  Mrs.  Chip- 
perton,  holding  on  to  his  arm. 

"  No,"  said  he.  "  It  was  not  very  dark  just  here. 
That  slit  let  in  a  little  light.  That  is  all  it  is  good  for, 
though  why  light  should  be  needed  here,  I  cannot  tell. 
And  then  I  lighted  matches  and  examined  the  wall. 
I  might  find  some  trace  of  some  sensible  intention  on 
the  part  of  the  people  who  quarried  this  passage.  But 
I  could  find  nothing.  What  I  might  have  found,  had 
I  moved  about,  I  cannot  say.  I  had  a  whole  box  of 
matches  in  my  pocket.  But  I  did  not  move." 

"Well,"  said  Mr.  Burgan,  "  I  think  you  'd  better 
move  now.  I,  for  one,  am  convinced  that  this  place  is 
of  no  use  to  me,  and  I  don't  like  it." 

I  think  Mr.  Burgan  was  a  little  out  of  temper. 

We  now  started  on  our  way  out  of  the  passage, 
Mrs.  Chipperton  holding  tight  to  her  husband,  for  fear, 
I  suppose,  that  he  might  be  inclined  to  stop  again. 

"  I  did  n't  think,"  said  she,  as  she  clambered  up  the 
dark  and  twisting  steps,  "that  I  should  have  this  thing 
to  do,  so  soon  again.  But  no  one  can  ever  tell  what 
strange  things  may  happen  to  them,  at  any  time." 

"  When  father  's  along,"  added  Corny. 

This  was  all  nuts  to  the  shoemaker,  for  we  gave 
him  more  money  for  his  second  trip  down  the  well.  I 
hope  this  did  n't  put  the  idea  into  his  head  of  shutting 
people  down  below,  and  making  their  friends  come 
after  them,  and  pay  extra. 


216  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  There  are  some  things  about  Mr.  Chipperton  that 
I  like,"  said  Rectus,  as  we  walked  home  together. 

"Yes,"  said  I,  "  some  things." 

"  I  like  the  cool  way  in  which  he  takes  bad  fixes," 
continued  Rectus,  who  had  a  fancy  for  doing  things 
that  way  himself.  "  Don't  you  remember  that  time 
he  struck  on  the  sand-bank.  He  just  sat  there  in  the 
rain,  waiting  for  the  tide  to  rise,  and  made  no  fuss  at 
all.  And  here,  he  kept  just  as  cool  and  comfortable, 
down  in  that  dungeon.  He  must  have  educated  his 
mind  a  good  deal  to  be  able  to  do  that." 

"  It  may  be  very  well  to  educate  the  mind  to  take 
things  coolly,"  said  I,  "but  I  'd  a  great  deal  rather 
educate  my  mind  not  to  get  me  into  such  fixes." 

"  I  suppose  that  would  be  better,"  said  Rectus,  after 
thinking  a  minute. 

And  now  we  had  but  little  time  to  see  anything 
more  in  Nassau.  In  two  days  the  "Tigris"  would  be 
due,  and  we  were  going  away  in  her.  So  we  found 
we  should  have  to  bounce  around  in  a  pretty  lively 
way,  if  we  wanted  to  be  able  to  go  home  and  say 
we  had  seen  the  place. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

WHAT  BOY   HAS   DONE,   BOY  MAY  DO. 

npHERE  was  one  place  that  I  wished,  particularly, 
JL  to  visit  before  I  left,  and  that  was  what  the  peo 
ple  in  Nassau  called  the  Coral-reef.  There  were 
lots  of  coral-reefs  all  about  the  islands,  but  this  one 
was  easily  visited,  and  for  this  reason,  I  suppose,  was 
chosen  as  a  representative  of  its  class.  I  had  been 
there  before,  and  had  seen  all  the  wonders  of  the  reef 
through  a  water-glass, — which  is  a  wooden  box,  with 
a  pane  of  glass  at  one  end  and  open  at  the  other. 
You  hold  the  glass  end  of  this  box  just  under  the 
water,  and  put  your  face  to  the  open  end,  and  then 
you  can  see  down  under  the  water,  exactly  as  if  you 
were  looking  through  the  air.  And  on  this  coral-reef, 
where  the  water  was  not  more  than  twelve  or  fourteen 
feet  deep,  there  were  lots  of  beautiful  things  to  see.  It 
was  like  a  submarine  garden.  There  was  coral  in 
every  form  and  shape,  and  of  different  colors ;  there 
were  sea-feathers,  which  stood  up  like  waving  purple- 
trees,  most  of  them  a  foot  or  two  high,  but  some  a 
10  .„ 


218  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

good  deal  higher;  there  were  sea-fans,  purple  and 
yellow,  that  spread  themselves  up  from  the  curious 
bits  of  coral-rock  on  the  bottom,  and  there  were  ever 
so  many  other  things  that  grew  like  bushes  and  vines, 
and  of  all  sorts  of  colors.  Among  all  these  you  could 
see  the  fishes  swimming  about,  as  if  they  were  in 
a  great  aquarium.  Some  of  these  fishes  were  very 
large,  with  handsome  black  bands  across  their  backs, 
but  the  prettiest  were  some  little  fellows,  no  bigger 
than  sardines,  that  swam  in  among  the  branches  of 
the  sea-feathers  and  fans.  They  were  colored  bright 
blue,  and  yellow  and  red ;  some  of  them  with  two  or 
three  colors  apiece.  Rectus  called  them  "  humming- 
fishes."  They  did  remind  me  of  humming-birds, 
although  they  did  n't  hum. 

When  I  came  here  before,  I  was  with  a  party  of 
ladies  and  gentlemen.  We  went  in  a  large  sail-boat, 
and  took  several  divers  with  us,  to  go  down  and  bring 
up  to  us  the  curious  things  that  we  would  select,  as 
we  looked  through  the  water-glass.  There  was  n't 
anything  peculiar  about  these  divers.  They  wore  linen 
breeches  for  diving  dresses,  and  were  the  same  kind 
of  fellows  as  those  who  dived  for  pennies  at  the 
town. 

Now,  what  I  wanted  to  do,  was  to  go  to  the  coral- 
reef  and  dive  down  and  get  something  for  myself.  It 
would  be  worth  while  to  take  home  a  sea-fan  or  some 
thing  of  that  kind,  and  say  you  brought  it  up  from 
the  bottom  of  the  sea  yourself.  Any  one  could  get 
things  that  the  divers  had  brought  up.  To  be  sure, 
the  sea  was  n't  very  deep  here,  but  it  had  a  bottom, 


WHA T  BOY  HAS  DONE,  BOY  MAY  DO.       219 

all  the  same.  I  was  not  so  good  a  swimmer  as  these 
darkeys,  who  ducked  and  dived  as  if  they  had  been 
born  in  the  water,  but  I  could  swim  better  than  most 
fellows,  and  was  particularly  good  at  diving.  So  I 
determined,  if  I  could  get  a  chance,  to  go  down  after 
some  of  those  things  on  the  coral-reef. 

I  could  n't  try  this,  before,  because  there  were  too 
many  people  along,  but  Rectus,  who  thought  the  idea 
was  splendid,  although  he  did  n't  intend  to  dive  him 
self,  agreed  to  hire  a  sail-boat  with  me,  and  go  off  to 
the  reef,  with  only  the  darkey  captain. 

We  started  as  early  as  we  could  get  off,  on  the 
morning  after  we  had  been  at  Fort  Charlotte.  The 
captain  of  the  yacht — they  give  themselves  and  their 
sail-boats  big  titles  here  —  was  a  tall  colored  man, 
named  Chris,  and  he  took  two  big  darkey  boys  with 
him,  although  we  told  him  we  did  n't  want  any 
divers.  But  I  suppose  he  thought  we  might  change 
our  minds.  I  did  n't  tell  him  /was  going  to  dive. 
He  might  not  have  been  willing  to  go  in  that  case. 

We  had  a  nice  sail  up  the  harbor,  between  the  large 
island  upon  which  the  town  stands,  and  the  smaller 
ones  that  separate  the  harbor  from  the  ocean.  After 
sailing  about  five  miles,  we  turned  out  to  sea  between 
two  islands,  and  pretty  soon  were  anchored  over  the  reef. 

"  Now,  then,  boss,"  said  Captain  Chris,  "  don't  ye 
want  these  here  boys  to  do  some  divin'  for  ye?  " 

"  I  told  you  I  would  n't  want  them,"  said  I.  "  I  'm 
going  to  dive,  myself." 

"  You  dive,  boss  !  "  cried  all  three  of  the  darkeys  at 
once,  and  the  two  boys  began  to  laugh. 


220  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"Ye  can't  do  that,  boss,"  said  the  captain.  "  Ef 
ye  aint  used  to  this  here  kind  o'  divin',  ye  can't  do 
nothin'  at  all,  under  this  water.  Ye  better  let  the  boys 
go  for  ye." 

"  No,"  said  I,  "  I  'm  going  myself,"  and  I  began  to 
take  off  my  clothes. 

The  colored  fellows  did  n't  like  it  much,  for  it  seemed 
like  taking  their  business  away  from  them ;  but  they 
could  n't  help  it,  and  so  they  just  sat  and  waited  to 
see  how  things  would  turn  out. 

"  You  'd  better  take  a  look  through  the  glass,  before 
you  dive,"  said  Rectus,  "and  choose  what  you  're 
going  to  get." 

"  I  'm  not  going  to  be  particular,"  I  replied.  "  I 
shall  get  whatever  I  can." 

"The  tide  's  pretty  strong,"  said  the  captain. 
"You  Ve  got  to  calkelate  fur  that." 

I  was  obliged  for  this  information,  which  was  gener 
ous  on  his  part,  considering  the  circumstances,  and  I 
dived  from  the  bow,  as  far  out  as  I  could  jump.  Down 
I  went,  but  I  did  n't  reach  the  bottom,  at  all.  My 
legs  grazed  against  some  branches  and  things,  but  the 
tide  had  me  back  to  the  boat  in  no  time,  and  I  came 
up  near  the  stern,  which  I  seized,  and  got  on  board. 

Both  the  colored  boys  were  grinning,  and  the  cap 
tain  said : 

"Ye  can't  dive  that-a-way,  boss.  You  '11  never  git 
to  the  bottom,  at  all,  that-a-way.  You  must  go  right 
down,  ef  you  go  at  all." 

I  knew  that,  but  I  must  admit  I  did  n't  care  much 
to  go  all  the  way  down  when  I  made  the  first  dive. 


WHA T  BOY  HAS  DONE,  BOY  MAY  DO.      221 

Just  as  I  jumped,  I  thought  of  the  hard  sharp  things 
at  the  bottom,  and  I  guess  I  was  a  little  too  careful  not 
to  dive  into  them. 

But  now  I  made  a  second  dive,  and  I  went  down 
beautifully.  I  made  a  grab  at  the  first  thing  my  hand 
touched.  It  was  a  purple  knob  of  coral.  But  it  stuck 
tight  to  its  mother- rock,  and  I  was  ready  to  go  up 
before  it  was  ready  to  come  loose,  and  so  I  went  up 
without  it. 

"  'T  aint  easy  to  git  them  things,"  said  the  captain^ 
and  the  two  boys  said : 

"  No  indeed,  boss,  ye  cahn't  git  them  things  dat-a- 
way." 

I  did  n't  say  anything,  but  in  a  few  minutes  I  made 
another  dive.  I  determined  to  look  around  a  little, 
this  time,  and  seize  something  that  I  could  break  off  or 
pull  up.  I  found  that  I  could  n't  stay  under  water, 
like  the  darkeys  could.  That  required  practice,  and 
perhaps  more  fishy  lungs. 

Down  I  went,  and  I  came  right  down  on  a  small  sea- 
fan,  which  I  grabbed  instantly.  That  ought  to  give 
way  easily.  But  as  I  seized  it,  I  brought  down  my 
right  foot  into  the  middle  of  a  big  round  sponge.  I 
started,  as  if  I  had  had  an  electric  shock.  The  thing 
seemed  colder  and  wetter  than  the  water ;  it  was  slimy 
and  sticky  and  horrid.  I  did  not  see  what  it  was,  and 
it  felt  as  if  some  great  sucker-fish,  with  a  cold  woolly 
mouth,  was  trying  to  swallow  my  foot.  I  let  go  of 
everything,  and  came  right  up,  and  drew  myself, 
puffing  and  blowing,  on  board  the  boat. 

How  Captain  Chris  laughed  !     He  had  been  watch- 


222  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

ing  me  through  the  water-glass,  and  saw  what  had 
scared  me. 

"  Why,  boss  !  "  said  he,  "  sponges  don't  eat  people  ! 
That  was  nice  and  sof  to  tread  on.  A  sight  better 
than  cuttin'  yer  foot  on  a  piece  o'  coral." 

That  was  all  very  well,  but  I  'm  sure  Captain  Chris 
jumped  the  first  time  he  ever  put  his  bare  foot  into  a 
sponge  under  water. 

"  I  s'pose  ye  're  goin'  to  gib  it  up  now,  boss,"  said 
the  captain. 

"  No,  I  'm  not,"  I  answered.  "  I  have  n't  brought 
up  anything  yet.  I  'm  going  down  again." 

"You  'd  better  not,"  said  Rectus.  "  Three  times  is 
all  that  anybody  ever  tries  to  do  anything.  If  at  first 
you  don't  succeed,  try,  try  again.  One,  two,  three. 
You  're  not  expected  to  try  four  times.  And,  besides, 
you  're  tired." 

"I  '11  be  rested  in  a  minute,"  said  I,  "  and  then  I  '11 
try  once  more.  I  'm  all  right.  You  need  n't  worry." 

But  Rectus  did  worry.  I  must  have  looked  fright 
ened  when  I  came  up,  and  I  believe  he  had  caught  the 
scare.  Boys  will  do  that.  The  captain  tried  to  keep 
me  from  going  in  again,  but  I  knew  it  was  all  non 
sense  to  be  frightened.  I  was  going  to  bring  up 
something  from  the  bottom,  if  it  was  only  a  pebble. 

So,  after  resting  a  little  while,  and  getting  my  breath 
again,  down  I  went.  I  was  in  for  anything  now,  and 
the  moment  I  reached  the  bottom,  I  swept  my  arm 
around  and  seized  the  first  thing  I  touched.  It  was  a 
pretty  big  thing,  for  it  was  a  sea-feather  over  five  feet 
high, — a  regular  tree.  I  gave  a  jerk  at  it,  but  it  held 


WHA  T  BOY  HAS  DONE,  BOY  MA  Y  DO.   223 

fast.  I  wished,  most  earnestly,  that  I  had  taken  hold 
of  something  smaller,  but  I  did  n't  like  to  let  go.  I 
might  get  nothing  else.  I  gave  another  jerk,  but  it 
was  of  no  use.  I  felt  that  I  could  n't  hold  my  breath 
much  longer,  and  must  go  up.  I  clutched  the  stem  of 
the  thing  with  both  hands ;  I  braced  my  feet  against 
the  bottom ;  I  gave  a  tremendous  tug  and  push,  and 
up  I  came  to  the  top,  sea-feather  and  all ! 

With  both  my  hands  full  I  could  n't  do  much  swim 
ming,  and  the  tide  carried  me  astern  of  the  boat  before 
I  knew  it. 

Rectus  was  the  first  to  shout  to  me. 

"  Drop  it,  and  strike  out !  "  he  yelled;  but  I  did  n't 
drop  it.  I  took  it  in  one  hand  and  swam  with  the 
other.  But  the  tide  was  strong,  and  I  did  n't  make 
any  headway.  Indeed,  I  floated  further  away  from 
the  boat. 

Directly,  I  heard  a  splash,  and  in  a  moment  after 
ward,  it  seemed,  the  two  darkey  divers  were  swimming 
up  to  me. 

"  Drop  dat,"  said  one  of  them,  "  an'  we  '11  take  ye 
in." 

"  No,  I  wont,"  I  spluttered,  still  striking  out  with  my 
legs  and  one  arm.  "  Take  hold  of  this,  and  we  can  all 
go  in  together." 

I  thought  that  if  one  of  them  would  help  me  with 
the  sea-feather,  which  seemed  awfully  heavy,  two  of 
us  could  certainly  swim  to  the  boat  with  four  legs  and 
two  arms  between  us. 

But  neither  of  them  would  do  it.  They  wanted  me 
to  drop  my  prize,  and  then  they  'd  take  hold  of  me 


224 


A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 


and  take  me  in.  We  were  disputing  and  puffing,  and 
floating  further  and  further  away,  when  up  came  Cap 
tain  Chris,  swimming  like  a  shark.  He  had  jerked  off 
his  clothes  and  jumped  in,  when  he  saw  what  was  going 
on.  He  just  put  one  hand  under  my  right  arm,  in 
which  I  held  the  sea-feather,  and  then  we  struck  out 


"WE  STRUCK  OUT  TOGETHER  FOR  THE  BOAT." 

together  for  the  boat.  It  was  like  getting  a  tow  from 
a  tug-boat.  We  were  alongside  in  no  time.  Captain 
Chris  was  the  strongest  and  best  swimmer  I  ever  saw. 
Rectus  was  leaning  over,  ready  to  help,  and  he 
caught  me  by  the  arm  as  I  reached  up  for  the  side  of 
the  boat. 


WHA T  BOY  HAS  DONE,  BOY  MAY  DO.      225 

"No,"  said  I,  "take  this,"  and  he  seized  the  sea- 
feather  and  pulled  it  in.  Then  the  captain  gave  me  a 
hoist,  and  I  clambered  on  board. 

The  captain  had  some  towels  under  the  little  for 
ward  deck,  and  I  gave  myself  a  good  rub  down  and 
dressed.  Then  I  went  to  look  at  my  prize.  No  won 
der  it  was  heavy.  It  had  a  young  rock,  a  foot  long, 
fast  to  its  root. 

"  You  sp'iled  one  o'  de  puttiest  things  in  that  garden 
down  there,"  said  the  captain.  "  I  allus  anchored  near 
that  tall  feather,  and  all  de  vis'tors  used  to  talk  about 
it.  I  did  n't  think  you  'd  bring  it  up  when  I  seed  you 
grab  it.  But  you  must  'a*  give  a  powerful  heave  to 
come  up  with  all  that  stone." 

"  I  don't  think  you  ought  to  have  tried  to  do  that," 
said  Rectus,  who  looked  as  if  he  had  n't  enjoyed  him 
self.  "  I  did  n't  know  you  were  so  obstinate." 

"  Well,"  said  I,  "  the  truth  of  the  matter  is  that  I 
am  a  fool,  sometimes,  and  I  might  as  well  admit  it. 
But  now  let  's  see  what  we  've  got  on  this  stone." 

There  was  a  lot  of  curious  things  on  the  piece  of 
rock  which  had  come  up  with  the  sea-feather.  There 
were  small  shells,  of  different  shapes  and  colors,  with 
the  living  creatures  inside  of  them,  and  there  were 
mosses,  and  sea-weed,  and  little  sponges,  and  small 
sea-plants,  tipped  with  red  and  yellow,  and  more 
things  of  the  kind  than  I  can  remember.  It  was  the 
handsomest  and  most  interesting  piece  of  coral-rock 
that  I  had  seen  yet. 

As  for  the  big  purple  sea-feather,  it  was  a  whopper, 
but  too  big  for  me  to  do  anything  with  it.  When  we 
10* 


226  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

got  home,  Rectus  showed  it  around  to  the  Chipper, 
tons,  and  some  of  the  people  at  the  hotel,  and  told 
them  that  I  dived  down  and  brought  it  up,  myself,  but 
I  could  n't  take  it  away  with  me,  for  it  was  much  too 
long  to  go  in  my  trunk.  So  I  gave  it  next  day  to 
Captain  Chris,  to  sell,  if  he  chose,  but  I  believe  he  took 
it  back  and  planted  it  again  in  the  submarine  garden, 
so  that  his  passengers  could  see  how  tall  a  sea-feather 
could  grow,  when  it  tried.  I  chipped  off  a  piece  of 
the  rock,  however,  to  carry  home  as  a  memento.  I 
was  told  that  the  things  growing  on  it — I  picked  off 
all  the  shells — would  make  the  clothes  in  my  trunk 
smell  badly,  but  I  thought  I  'd  risk  it. 

"  After  all,"  said  Rectus,  that  night,  "  what  was  the 
good  of  it  ?  That  little  piece  of  stone  don't  amount 
to  anything,  and  you  might  have  been  drowned." 

"I  don't  think  I  could  have  been  drowned,"  said  I, 
"for  I  should  have  dropped  the  old  thing,  and  floated, 
if  I  had  felt  myself  giving  out.  But  the  good  of  it  was 
this :  It  showed  me  what  a  disagreeable  sort  of  place 
a  sea- garden  is,  when  you  go  down  into  it  to  pick 
things." 

"Which  you  wont  do  again,  in  a  hurry,  I  reckon," 
said  Rectus. 

"  You  're  right  there,  my  boy,"  I  answered. 

The  next  day,  the  Chippertons  and  ourselves  took  a 
two-horse  barouche,  and  rode  to  the  "caves,"  some 
six  or  seven  miles  from  the  town.  We  had  a  long 
walk  through  the  pineapple  fields  before  we  came  to 
the  biggest  cave,  and  found  it  was  n't  very  much  of  a 
cave,  after  all,  though  there  was  a  sort  of  a  room,  on 


WHA  T  BOY  HAS  DONE,  BOY  MAY  DO.      227 

one  side,  which  looked  like  a  church,  with  altar,  pillars 
and  arches.  There  was  a  little  hole,  on  one  side  of 
this  room,  about  three  feet  wide,  which  led,  our  negro 
guide  said,  to  a  great  cave,  which  ran  along  about  a 
mile,  until  it  reached  the  sea.  There  was  no  knowing 
what  skeletons,  and  treasures,  and  old  half- decayed 
boxes  of  coins,  hidden  by  pirates,  and  swords  with 
jewels  in  the  handles,  and  loose  jewels,  and  silver 
plate,  and  other  things  we  might  have  found  in  that 
cave,  if  we  had  only  had  a  lantern  or  some  candles  to 
light  us  while  we  were  wandering  about  in  it.  But  we 
had  no  candles  or  lantern,  and  so  did  not  become  a 
pirate's  heirs.  It  was  Corny  who  was  most  anxious  to 
go  in.  She  had  read  about  Blackbeard,  and  the  other 
pirates  who  used  to  live  on  this  island,  and  she  felt 
sure  that  some  of  their  treasures  were  to  be  found  in 
that  cave.  If  she  had  thought  of  it,  she  would  have 
brought  a  candle. 

The  only  treasures  we  got  were  some  long  things, 
like  thin  ropes,  which  hung  from  the  roof  to  the  floor 
of  the  cave  we  were  in.  This  cave  was  n't  dark, 
because  nearly  all  of  one  side  of  it  was  open.  These 
ropes  were  roots  or  young  trunks  from  banyan-trees, 
growing  on  the  ground  above,  and  which  came 
through  the  cracks  in  the  rocks,  and  stretched  them 
selves  down  so  as  to  root  in  the  floor  of  the  cave,  and 
make  a  lot  of  underground  trunks  for  the  tree  above. 
The  banyan-tree  is  the  most  enterprising  trunk-maker 
I  ever  heard  of. 

We  pulled  down  a  lot  of  these  banyan  ropes,  some 
of  them  more  than  twenty  feet  long,  to  take  away  as 


228  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

curiosities.  Corny  thought  it  would  be  splendid  to 
have  a  jumping-rope  made  of  a  banyan  root,  or  rather 
trunklet  The  banyans  here  are  called  wild  fig-trees, 
which  they  really  are,  wherever  they  grow.  There  is 
a  big  one,  not  far  from  the  town,  which  stands  by 
itself,  and  has  a  lot  of  trunks  coming  down  from  the 
branches.  It  would  take  the  conceit  out  of  a  hurri 
cane,  I  think,  if  it  tried  to  blow  down  a  banyan-tree. 

The  next  day  was  Sunday,  and  our  party  went  to 
a  negro  church  to  hear  a  preacher  who  was  quite 
celebrated  as  a  colored  orator.  He  preached  a  good 
sensible  sermon,  although  he  did  n't  meddle  much 
with  grammar.  The  people  were  poorly  dressed,  and 
some  of  the  deacons  were  barefooted,  but  they  were 
all  very  clean  and  neat,  and  they  appeared  to  be  just 
as  religious  as  if  they  had  all  ridden  in  carriages  to 
some  Fifth  Avenue  church  in  New  York. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

I   WAKE   UP   MR.    CHIPPERTON. 

ABOUT  nine  o'clock,  on  Monday  morning,  the 
"  Tigris "  came  in.  When  we  boarded  her, 
which  we  did  almost  as  soon  as  the  stairs  had  been 
put  down  her  side,  we  found  that  she  would  make  a 
shorter  stay  than  usual,  and  would  go  out  that  even 
ing,  at  high  tide.  So  there  was  no  time  to  lose.  After 
the  letters  had  been  delivered  at  the  hotel,  and  we  had 
read  ours,  we  sent  our  trunks  on  board,  and  went 
around  to  finish  up  Nassau.  We  rowed  over  to  Hog 
Island,  opposite  the  town,  to  see,  once  more,  the  surf 
roll  up  against  the  high,  jagged  rocks ;  we  ran  down 
among  the  negro  cottages  and  the  negro  cabins  to  get 
some  fruit  for  the  trip ;  and  we  rushed  about  to  bid 
good-bye  to  some  of  our  old  friends  —  Poqua-dilla 
among  them.  Corny  went  with  us,  this  time.  Every 
darkey  knew  we  were  going  away,  and  it  was  amazing 
to  see  how  many  of  them  came  to  bid  us  good-bye, 
and  ask  for  some  coppers. 


230  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

After  supper,  we  went  on  board  the  steamer,  and 
about  ten  o'clock  she  cast  loose,  and  as  she  slowly 
moved  away,  we  heard  the  old  familiar  words : 

"  Give  us  a  small  dive,  boss  !  " 

They  came  from  a  crowd  of  darkey  boys  on  the 
wharf.  But,  although  the  moon  was  shining  brightly, 
we  did  n't  think  they  could  see  coppers  on  the  bottom 
that  night.  They  might  have  found  a  shilling  or  a 
half-dollar,  but  we  did  n't  try  them. 

There  were  a  couple  of  English  officers  on  board, 
from  the  barracks,  and  we  thought  that  they  were 
going  to  take  a  trip  to  the  United  States ;  but  the 
purser  told  us  that  they  had  no  idea  of  doing  that 
themselves,  but  were  trying  to  prevent  one  of  the 
"  red-coats,"  as  the  common  soldiers  were  generally 
called,  from  leaving  the  island.  He  had  been  missed 
at  the  barracks,  and  it  was  supposed  that  he  was 
stowed  away  somewhere  on  the  vessel.  The  steamer 
had  delayed  starting  for  half  an  hour,  so  that  search 
might  be  made  for  the  deserter,  but  she  could  n't  wait 
any  longer  if  she  wanted  to  get  over  the  bar  that 
night,  and  so  the  lieutenants,  or  sergeants,  or  whatever 
they  were,  had  to  go  along,  and  come  back  in  the 
pilot-boat. 

When  we  got  outside  we  lay  to,  with  the  pilot-boat 
alongside  of  us,  and  the  hold  of  the  vessel  was  ran 
sacked  for  the  deserter.  Corny  openly  declared  that 
she  hoped  they  would  n't  find  him,  and  I  'm  sure  I 
had  a  pretty  strong  feeling  that  way  myself.  But 
they  did  find  him.  He  was  pulled  out  from  behind 
some  barrels,  in  a  dark  place  in  the  hold,  and  hurried 


/    WAKE    UP   MR.    CHIPPERTON.  231 

up  on  deck.  We  saw  him,  as  he  was  forced  over 
the  side  of  the  vessel  and  almost  dropped  into  the 
pilot-boat,  which  was  rising  and  falling  on  the  waves 
by  the  side  of  the  ship.  Then  the  officers  scram 
bled  down  the  side  and  jumped  into  the  boat.  The 
line  was  cast  off,  the  negro  oarsmen  began  to  pull 
away,  and  the  poor  red-coat  took  his  doleful  journey 
back  to  Nassau.  He  must  have  felt  pretty  badly 
about  it.  I  have  no  doubt  that  when  he  hid  himself 
down  there  in  that  dark  hold,  just  before  the  vessel 
started,  he  thought  he  had  made  a  pretty  sure  thing 
of  it,  and  that  it  would  not  be  long  before  he  would 
be  a  free  man,  and  could  go  where  he  pleased  and  do 
what  he  pleased  in  the  wide  United  States.  But  the 
case  was  very  different  now.  I  suppose  it  was  wrong, 
of  course,  for  him  to  desert,  and  probably  he  was  a 
mean  sort  of  a  fellow  to  do  it ;  but  we  were  all  very 
sorry  to  see  him  taken  away.  Corny  thought  that  he 
was  very  likely  a  good  man,  who  had  been  imposed 
upon,  and  that,  therefore,  it  was  right  to  run  away. 
It  was  quite  natural  for  a  girl  to  think  that. 

The  moment  the  pilot-boat  left  us,  the  "  Tigris " 
started  off  in  good  earnest,  and  went  steaming  along 
on  her  course.  And  it  was  not  long  before  we  started 
off,  also  in  good  earnest,  for  our  berths.  We  were  a 
tired  set. 

The  trip  back  was  not  so  pleasant  as  our  other  little 
voyage,  when  we  were  coming  to  the  Bahamas.  The 
next  day  was  cloudy,  and  the  sea  was  rough  and 
choppy.  The  air  was  mild  enough  for  us  to  be  on 
deck,  but  there  was  a  high  wind  which  made  it 


232  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

uncomfortable.  Rectus  thought  he  could  keep  on  his 
wide  straw  hat,  but  he  soon  found  out  his  mistake,  and 
had  to  get  out  his  Scotch  cap,  which  made  him  look 
like  a  very  different  fellow. 

There  were  not  very  many  passengers  on  board,  as 
it  was  scarcely  time  for  the  majority  of  people  to 
leave  Nassau.  They  generally  stay  until  April,  I 
think.  Besides  our  party  of  five,  there  were  several 
gentlemen  and  ladies  from  the  hotel ;  and  as  we  knew 
them  all  tolerably  well,  we  had  a  much  more  sociable 
time  than  when  we  came  over.  Still,  for  my  part,  I 
should  have  preferred  fair  weather,  bright  skies,  and 
plenty  of  nautiluses  and  flying-fish. 

The  "  yellow-legged  "  party  remained  at  Nassau. 
I  was  a  little  sorry  for  this,  too,  as  I  liked  the  men 
pretty  well,  now  that  I  knew  them  better.  They 
certainly  were  good  walkers. 

Toward  noon  the  wind  began  to  blow  harder,  and 
the  waves  ran  very  high.  The  "Tigris"  rolled  from 
side  to  side  as  if  she  would  go  over,  and  some  of  the 
ladies  were  a  good  deal  frightened ;  but  she  always 
came  up  again,  all  right,  no  matter  how  far  over  she 
dipped,  and  so  in  time  they  got  used  to  it.  I  proved 
to  Mrs.  Chipperton  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  the 
vessel  to  upset,  as  the  great  weight  of  ballast,  freight, 
machinery,  etc.,  in  the  lower  part  of  her  would  always 
bring  her  deck  up  again,  even  if  she  rolled  entirely 
over  on  her  side,  which,  sometimes,  she  seemed  as  if 
she  was  going  to  do,  but  she  always  changed  her 
mind  just  as  we  thought  the  thing  was  going  to  happen. 
The  first  mate  told  me  that  the  reason  we  rolled  so  was 


/    WAKE    UP   MR.    CHIPPERTON.  233 

because  we  had  been  obliged  to  take  in  all  sail,  and 
that  the  mainsail  had  steadied  the  vessel  very  much 
before  the  wind  got  so  high.  This  was  all  very  well, 
but  I  did  n't  care  much  to  know  why  the  thing  was. 
There  are  some  people  who  think  a  thing  's  all  right, 
if  they  can  only  tell  you  the  reason  for  it. 

Before  dark,  we  had  to  go  below,  for  the  captain 
said  he  did  n't  want  any  of  us  to  roll  overboard,  and, 
besides,  the  spray  from  the  high  waves  made  the  deck 
very  wet  and  unpleasant.  None  of  us  liked  it  below. 
There  was  no  place  to  sit  but  in  the  long  saloon, 
where  the  dining-tables  were,  and  after  supper  we  all 
sat  there  and  read.  Mr.  Chipperton  had  a  lot  of 
novels,  and  we  each  took  one.  But  it  was  n't  much 
fun.  I  could  n't  get  interested  in  my  story, —  at  least, 
not  in  the  beginning  of  it.  I  think  that  people  who 
want  to  use  up  time  when  they  are  travelling  ought 
to  take  what  Rectus  called  a  "begun"  novel  along 
with  them.  He  had  got  on  pretty  well  in  his  book 
while  he  was  in  Nassau,  and  so  just  took  it  up  now 
and  went  right  along. 

The  lamps  swung  so  far  backward  and  forward 
above  the  table  that  we  thought  they  would  certainly 
spill  the  oil  over  us  in  one  of  their  wild  pitches ;  the 
settees  by  the  table  slid  under  us  as  the  ship  rolled,  so 
that  there  was  no  comfort,  and  any  one  who  tried  to 
walk  from  one  place  to  another  had  to  hang  on  to 
whatever  he  could  get  hold  of,  or  be  tumbled  up 
against  the  tables  or  the  wall.  Some  folks  got  sea 
sick  and  went  to  bed,  but  we  tried  to  stick  it  out  as 
long  as  we  could. 


234  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

The  storm  grew  worse  and  worse.  Sometimes  a 
big  wave  would  strike  the  side  of  the  steamer,  just 
behind  us,  with  a  tremendous  shock.  The  ladies  were 
always  sure  she  had  "struck  something"  when  this 
happened ;  but  when  they  found  it  was  only  water 
that  she  had  struck,  they  were  better  satisfied.  At 
last,  things  grew  to  be  so  bad  that  we  thought  we 
should  have  to  go  to  bed  and  spend  the  night  holding 
on  to  the  handles  at  the  back  of  our  berths,  when,  all 
of  a  sudden,  there  was  a  great  change.  The  rolling 
stopped,  and  the  vessel  seemed  to  be  steaming  along 
almost  on  an  even  keel.  She  pitched  somewhat  for 
ward  and  aft, — that  is,  her  bow  and  her  stern  went  up 
and  down  by  turns, — but  we  did  n't  mind  that,  as  it 
was  so  very  much  better  than  the  wild  rolling  that 
had  been  kept  up  so  long. 

"  I  wonder  what  this  means  ?  "  said  Mr.  Chipperton, 
actually  standing  up  without  holding  on  to  anything. 
"Can  they  have  got  into  a  current  of  smooth  water?  " 

I  did  n't  think  this  was  possible,  but  I  did  n't  stop  to 
make  any  conjectures  about  it.  Rectus  and  I  ran  up 
on  the  forward  deck,  to  see  how  this  agreeable  change 
had  come  about.  The  moment  we  got  outside,  we 
found  the  wind  blowing  fearfully  and  the  waves  dash 
ing  as  high  as  ever,  but  they  were  not  plunging 
against  our  sides.  We  carefully  worked  our  way 
along  to  the  pilot-house,  and  looked  in.  The  captain 
was  inside,  and  when  he  saw  us  he  opened  the  door 
and  came  out.  He  was  going  to  his  own  room,  just 
back  of  the  pilot-house,  and  he  told  us  to  come  with 
him. 


/    WAKE    UP   MR.    CHIPPERTON.  235 

He  looked  tired  and  wet,  and  he  told  us  that  the 
storm  had  grown  so  bad  that  he  did  n't  think  it  would 
be  right  to  keep  on  our  course  any  longer.  We  were 
going  to  the  north-west,  and  the  storm  was  coming 
from  the  north-east,  and  the  waves  and  the  wind 
dashed  fair  against  the  side  of  the  vessel,  making  her 
roll  and  careen  so  that  it  began  to  be  unsafe.  So  he 
had  put  her  around  with  her  head  to  the  wind,  and 
now  she  took  the  storm  on  her  bow,  where  she  could 
stand  it  a  great  deal  better.  He  put  all  this  in  a  good 
deal  of  sea-language,  but  I  tell  it  as  I  got  the  sense  of  it. 

"  Did  you  think  she  would  go  over,  Captain  ? " 
asked  Rectus. 

"  Oh  no !  "  said  he,  "  but  something  might  have 
been  carried  away." 

He  was  a  very  pleasant  man,  and  talked  a  good 
deal  to  us. 

"  It  's  all  very  well  to  lie  to,  this  way,"  he  went  on, 
"for  the  comfort  and  safety  of  the  passengers  and  the 
ship,  but  I  don't  like  it,  for  we  're  not  keeping  on  to 
our  port,  which  is  what  I  want  to  be  doing." 

"  Are  we  stopping  here  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Pretty  much,"  said  the  captain.  "  All  that  the 
engines  are  working  for  is  just  to  keep  her  head  to  the 
wind." 

I  felt  the  greatest  respect  for  the  captain.  Instead 
of  telling  us  why  the  ship  rolled,  he  just  stopped  her 
rolling.  I  liked  that  way  of  doing  things.  And  I  was 
sure  that  every  one  on  board  that  I  had  talked  to 
would  be  glad  to  have  the  vessel  lie  to,  and  make 
herself  comfortable  until  the  storm  was  over. 


236  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

We  did  not  stay  very  long  with  the  captain,  for  he 
wanted  to  take  a  nap,  and  when  we  went  out,  we  stood 
a  little  while  by  the  railing,  to  see  the  storm.  The  wind 
nearly  took  our  heads  off,  and  the  waves  dashed  right 
up  over  the  bow  of  the  ship,  so  that  if  any  one  had 
been  out  there,  I  suppose  they  would  have  been 
soaked  in  a  few  minutes,  if  not  knocked  down.  But 
we  saw  two  men  at  the  wheel,  in  the  pilot-house, 
steadily  holding  her  head  to  the  wind,  and  we  felt  that 
it  was  all  right.  So  we  ran  below  and  reported,  and 
then  we  all  went  to  bed. 

Although  there  was  not  much  of  the  rolling  that  had 
been  so  unpleasant  before,  the  vessel  pitched  and 
tossed  enough  to  make  our  berths,  especially  mine, 
which  was  the  upper  one,  rather  shaky  places  to  rest 
in ;  and  I  did  not  sleep  very  soundly.  Sometime  in 
the  night,  I  was  awakened  by  a  sound  of  heavy  and 
rapid  footfalls  on  the  deck  above  my  head.  I  lay  and 
listened  for  a  moment,  and  felt  glad  that  the  deck  was 
steady  enough  for  them  to  walk  on.  There  soon 
seemed  to  be  a  good  deal  more  running,  and  as  they 
began  to  drag  things  about,  I  thought  that  it  would  be 
a  good  idea  to  get  up  and  find  out  what  was  going  on. 
If  it  was  anything  extraordinary,  I  wanted  to  see  it. 
Of  course,  I  woke  up  Rectus,  and  we  put  on  our 
clothes.  There  was  now  a  good  deal  of  noise  on  deck. 

"  Perhaps  we  have  run  into  some  vessel  and  sunk 
her,"  said  Rectus,  opening  the  door,  with  his  coat  over 
his  arm.  He  was  in  an  awful  hurry  to  see. 

"  Hold  up  here  !  "  I  said.  "  Don't  you  go  on  deck 
in  this  storm  without  an  overcoat.  If  there  has  been 


I    WAKE    UP   MR.    CHIPPERTON.  237 

a  collision,  you  can't  do  any  good,  and  you  need  n't 
hurry  so.  Button  up  warm." 

We  both  did  that,  and  then  we  went  up  on  deck. 
There  was  no  one  aft,  just  then,  but  we  could  see  in 
the  moonlight,  which  was  pretty  strong,  although  the 
sky  was  cloudy,  that  there  was  quite  a  crowd  of  men 
forward.  We  made  our  way  in  that  direction  as  fast 
as  we  could,  in  the  face  of  the  wind,  and  when  we 
reached  the  deck,  just  in  front  of  the  pilot-house,  we 
looked  down  to  the  big  hatchway,  where  the  freight 
and  baggage  were  lowered  down  into  the  hold,  and 
there  we  saw  what  was  the  matter. 

The  ship  was  on  fire ! 

The  hatchway  was  not  open,  but  smoke  was  coming 
up  thick  and  fast  all  around  it.  A  half-dozen  men 
were  around  a  donkey-engine  that  stood  a  little  for 
ward  of  the  hatch,  and  others  were  pulling  at  hose. 
The  captain  was  rushing  here  and  there,  giving  orders. 
I  did  not  hear  anything  he  said.  No  one  said  any 
thing  to  us.  Rectus  asked  one  of  the  men  something, 
as  he  ran  past  him,  but  the  man  did  not  stop  to 
answer. 

But  there  is  no  need  to  ask  any  questions.  There 
was  the  smoke  coming  up,  thicker  and  blacker,  from 
the  edges  of  the  hatch. 

"  Come ! "  said  I,  clutching  Rectus  by  the  arm. 
"Let  's  wake  them  up." 

"  Don't  you  think  they  can  put  it  out  ?  "  he  asked, 
as  we  ran  back. 

"  Can't  tell,"  I  answered.  "  But  we  must  get  ready, 
— that  's  what  we  Ve  got  to  do." 


238  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

I  am  sure  I  did  not  know  how  we  were  to  get  ready, 
or  what  we  were  to  do,  but  my  main  idea  was  that  no 
time  was  to  be  lost  in  doing  something.  The  first 
thing  was  to  awaken  our  friends. 

We  found  the  steward  in  the  saloon.  There  was 
only  one  lamp  burning  there,  and  the  place  looked 
dismal,  but  there  was  light  enough  to  see  that  he  was 
very  pale. 

"  Don't  you  intend  to  wake  up  the  people  ?  "  I  said 
to  him. 

"  What  's  the  good  ?"  he  said.     "They  '11  put  it  out." 

"They  may,  and  they  may  n't,"  I  answered,  "and 
it  wont  hurt  the  passengers  to  be  awake." 

With  this  I  hurried  to  the  Chippertons'  state-room 
— they  had  a  double  room  in  the  centre  of  the  vessel — 
and  knocked  loudly  on  the  door.  I  saw  the  steward 
going  to  other  doors,  knocking  at  some  and  opening 
others  and  speaking  to  the  people  inside. 

Mr.  Chipperton  jumped  right  up  and  opened  the 
door.  When  he  saw  Rectus  and  me  standing  there, 
he  must  have  seen  in  our  faces  that  something  was  the 
matter,  for  he  instantly  asked : 

"  What  is  it  ?     A  wreck  ?  " 

I  told  him  of  the  fire,  and  said  that  it  might  not  be 
much,  but  that  we  thought  we  'd  better  waken  him. 

"That  's  right,"  he  said;  "we  '11  be  with  you 
iirectly.  Keep  perfectly  cool.  Remain  just  where 
>-ou  are.  You  '11  see  us  all  in  five  minutes,"  and  he 
shut  the  door. 

But  I  did  not  intend  to  stand  there.  A  good  many 
men  were  already  rushing  from  their  rooms  and  hurry- 


I    WAKE    UP   MR.    CHIPPERTON. 


239 


ing  up  the  steep  stairs  that  led  from  the  rear  of  the 
saloon  to  the  deck,  and  I  could  hear  ladies  calling  out 
from  their  rooms  as  if  they  were  hurrying  to  get  ready 


"'KEEP  PERFECTLY  COOL,'  SAID  MR.  CHIPPERTON." 

to  come  out.  The  stewardess,  a  tall  colored  woman, 
was  just  going  to  one  of  these  ladies,  who  had  her  head 
out  of  the  door.  I  told  Rectus  to  run  up  on  deck,  se>e 


240  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

how  things  were  going  on,  and  then  to  come  back  to 
the  Chippertons'  door.  Then  I  ran  to  our  room, 
jerked  the  cork  life-preservers  from  under  the  pillows, 
and  came  out  into  the  saloon  with  them.  This  seemed 
to  frighten  several  persons,  who  saw  me  as  I  came  from 
our  room,  and  they  rushed  back  for  their  life-preserv 
ers,  generally  getting  into  the  wrong  room,  I  think.  I 
did  not  want  to  help  to  make  a  fuss  and  confusion,  but 
I  thought  it  would  be  a  good  deal  better  for  us  to  get 
the  life-preservers  now,  than  to  wait.  If  we  did  n't 
need  them,  no  harm  would  be  done.  Some  one  had 
turned  up  several  lamps  in  the  saloon,  so  that  we  could 
see  better.  But  no  one  stopped  to  look  much.  Every 
body,  ladies  and  all, —  there  were  not  many  of  these, 
— hurried  on  deck.  The  Chippertons  were  the  last  to 
make  their  appearance.  Just  as  their  door  opened, 
Rectus  ran  up  to  me. 

"  It  's  worse  than  ever !  "  he  said. 

"  Here  !  "  said  I,  "  take  this  life-preserver.  Have 
you  life-preservers  in  your  room  ?  "  I  asked,  quickly, 
of  Mr.  Chipperton. 

"  All  right,"  said  he,  "  we  have  them  on.  Keep  all 
together  and  come  on  deck, — and  remember  to  be 
perfectly  cool." 

He  went  ahead  with  Mrs.  Chipperton,  and  Rectus 
and  I  followed,  one  on  each  side  of  Corny.  Neither 
she  nor  her  mother  had  yet  spoken  to  us  ;  but  while 
we  were  going  up  the  stairs,  Corny  turned  to  me,  as  I 
came  up  behind  her,  and  said  : 

"  Is  it  a  real  fire  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,"  I  answered  ;   "but  they  may  put  it  out." 


CHAPTER   XIX. 
THE   LIFE-RAFT. 

WHEN  we  came  out  on  deck,  we  saw  in  a  mo 
ment  that  the  fire  was  thought  to  be  a  serious 
affair.  Men  were  actually  at  work  at  the  boats,  which 
hung  from  their  davits  on  each  side  of  the  deck,  not 
far  from  the  stern.  They  were  getting  them  ready  to 
be  lowered.  I  must  confess  that  this  seemed  frightful 
to  me.  Was  there  really  need  of  it  ? 

I  left  our  party  and  ran  forward  for  a  moment,  to  see 
for  myself  how  matters  were  going.  People  were  hard 
at  work.  I  could  hear  the  pumps  going,  and  there 
was  a  great  deal  of  smoke,  which  was  driven  back  by 
the  wind.  When  I  reached  the  pilot-house  and  looked 
down  on  the  hatchway,  I  saw,  not  only  smoke  coming 
up,  but  every  now  and  then  a  tongue  of  flame.  The 
hatch  was  burning  away  at  the  edges.  There  must  be 
a  great  fire  under  it,  I  thought. 

Just  then  the  captain  came  rushing  up  from  below. 
I  caught  hold  of  him. 
ii 


242  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"Is  there  danger?"  I  said.  "What  's  to  be 
done  ?  " 

He  stopped  for  a  moment. 

"  We  must  all  save  ourselves,"  he  said,  hurriedly. 
"  I  am  going  to  the  passengers.  We  can't  save  the 
ship.  She  's  all  afire  below."  And  then  he  ran  on. 

When  I  got  back  to  our  group,  I  told  them  what 
the  captain  had  said,  and  we  all  instantly  moved 
toward  the  boat  nearest  to  us.  Rectus  told  me  to  put 
on  my  life-preserver,  and  he  helped  me  fasten  it.  I 
had  forgotten  that  I  had  it  under  my  arm.  Most  of 
the  passengers  were  at  our  boat,  but  the  captain  took 
some  of  them  over  to  the  other  side  of  the  deck. 

When  our  boat  was  ready,  there  was  a  great  scram 
ble  and  rush  for  it.  Most  of  the  ladies  were  to  get 
into  this  boat,  and  some  of  the  officers  held  back  the 
men  who  were  crowding  forward.  Among  the  others 
held  back  were  Rectus  and  I,  and  as  Corny  was 
between  us,  she  was  pushed  back,  too.  I  do  not  know 
how  the  boat  got  to  the  water,  nor  when  she  started 
down.  The  vessel  pitched  and  tossed  ;  we  could  not 
see  well,  for  the  smoke  came  in  thick  puffs  over  us, 
and  I  did  not  know  that  the  boat  was  really  afloat 
until  a  wave  lifted  it  up  by  the  side  of  the  vessel 
where  we  stood,  and  I  heard  Mr.  Chipperton  call  for 
Corny.  I  could  see  him  in  the  stern  of  the  boat, 
which  was  full  of  people. 

"  Here  she  is !  "  I  yelled. 

"  Here  I  am,  father !  "  cried  Corny,  and  she  ran 
from  us  to  the  railing. 

"Lower   her   down,"    said    Mr.    Chipperton,    from 


THE    LIFE-RAFT. 


243 


below.     He  did  not  seem  flurried  at  all,  but  I  saw  that 
no  time  was  to  be  lost,  for  a  man  was  trying  to  cut  or 


M!i!!;Hp!l|ll!ll!il 

"  RECTUS    HELPED   ME   TO    FASTEN    THE    LIFE-PRESERVER." 

untie  a  rope  which  still  held  the  boat  to  the  steamer. 
Then  she  would  be  off.     There  was  a  light  line  on  the 


244  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

deck  near  me — I  had  caught  my  foot  in  it,  a  minute 
before.  It  was  strong  enough  to  hold  Corny.  I  got 
hold  of  one  end  of  it  and  tied  it  around  her,  under  her 
arms.  She  had  a  great  shawl,  as  well  as  a  life-pre 
server,  tied  around  her,  and  looked  dreadfully  bundled 
up. 

She  did  not  say  a  word,  but  let  Rectus  and  me  do 
as  we  chose,  and  we  got  her  over  the  railing  in  no 
time.  I  braced  myself  against  the  seat  that  ran  around 
the  deck,  and  lowered.  Rectus  leaned  over  and 
directed,  holding  on  to  the  line  as  well.  I  felt  strong 
enough  to  hold  two  of  her,  with  the  rope  running  over 
the  rail.  I  let  her  go  down  pretty  fast,  for  I  was 
afraid  the  boat  would  be  off;  but  directly  Rectus 
called  to  me  to  stop. 

"  The  boat  is  n't  under  her,"  he  cried.  "  They  Ve 
pushed  off.  Haul  up  a  little  !  A  wave  nearly  took 
her,  just  then  !  " 

With  that,  we  hauled  her  up  a  little,  and  almost 
at  the  same  moment  I  saw  the  boat  rising  on  a  wave. 
By  that  time,  it  was  an  oar's  length  from  the  ship. 

"  They  say  they  can't  pull  back,"  shouted  Mr. 
Chipperton.  "  Don't  let  her  down  any  further." 

"  All  right !  "  I  roared  back  at  him.  "  We  '11  bring 
her  in  another  boat,"  and  I  began  to  pull  up  with  all 
my  might. 

Rectus  took  hold  of  the  rope  with  me,  and  we  soon 
had  Corny  on  deck.  She  ran  to  the  stern  and  held 
out  her  arms  to  the  boat. 

"  Oh,  father  !  "  she  cried.     "  Wait  for  me  !  " 

I  saw  Mr.  Chipperton  violently  addressing  the  men 


THE   LIFE-RAFT.  245 

m  the  boat,  but  they  had  put  out  their  oars  and  were 
beginning  to  pull  away.  I  knew  they  would  not  come 
back,  especially  as  they  knew,  of  course,  that  there 
were  other  boats  on  board.  Then  Mr.  Chipperton 
stood  up  again,  put  his  hands  to  his  mouth,  and 
shouted  back  to  us  : 

"  Bring  her  —  right  after  us.  If  we  get — parted  — 
meet — at  Savannah!  " 

He  was  certainly  one  of  the  coolest  men  in  the 
world.  To  think — at  such  a  time — of  appointing  a 
place  to  meet !  And  yet  it  was  a  good  idea.  I  believe 
he  expected  the  men  in  his  boat  to  row  directly  to  the 
Florida  coast,  where  they  would  find  quick  dispatch  to 
Savannah. 

Poor  Corny  was  disconsolate,  and  cried  bitterly.  I 
think  I  heard  her  mother  call  back  to  her,  but  I  am 
not  sure  about  it.  There  was  so  much  to  see  and  hear. 
And  yet  I  had  been  so  busy  with  what  I  had  had  to 
do  that  I  had  seen  comparatively  little  of  what  was 
going  on  around  me. 

One  thing,  however,  I  had  noticed,  and  it  impressed 
me  deeply  even  at  the  time.  There  was  none  of  the 
wailing  and  screaming  and  praying  that  I  had  sup 
posed  was  always  to  be  seen  and  heard  at  such  dread 
ful  times  as  this.  People  seemed  to  know  that  there 
were  certain  things  that  they  had  to  do  if  they 
wanted  to  save  themselves,  and  they  went  right  to  work 
and  did  them.  And  the  principal  thing  was  to  get  off 
that  ship  without  any  loss  of  time.  Of  course,  it  was 
not  pleasant  to  be  in  a  small  boat,  pitching  about  on 
those  great  waves,  but  almost  anywhere  was  a  better 


246  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

place  than  a  ship  on  fire.  I  heard  a  lady  scream 
once  or  twice,  but  I  don't  think  there  was  much  of 
that  sort  of  thing.  However,  there  might  have  been 
more  of  it  than  I  thought.  I  was  driving  away  at  my 
own  business. 

The  moment  I  heard  the  last  word  from  Mr.  Chip- 
perton,  I  rushed  to  the  other  side  of  the  deck,  dragging 
Corny  along  with  me.  But  the  boat  was  gone  from 
there. 

I  could  see  them  pulling  away  some  distance  from 
the  ship.  It  was  easy  to  see  things  now,  for  the  fire 
was  blazing  up  in  front.  I  think  the  vessel  had  been 
put  around,  for  she  rolled  a  good  deal,  and  the  smoke 
was  not  coming  back  over  us. 

I  untied  the  line  from  Corny,  and  stood  for  a 
moment  looking  about  me.  There  seemed  to  be  no 
one  aft  but  us  three.  We  had  missed  both  boats.  Mr. 
Chipperton  had  helped  his  wife  into  the  boat,  and  had 
expected  to  turn  round  and  take  Corny.  No  doubt 
he  had  told  the  men  to  be  perfectly  cool,  and  not  to 
hurry.  And  while  we  were  shouting  to  him  and  low 
ering  Corny,  the  other  boat  had  put  off. 

There  was  a  little  crowd  of  men  amidships,  hard 
at  work  at  something.  We  ran  there.  They  were 
launching  the  life-raft.  The  captain  was  among 
them. 

"  Are  there  no  more  boats  ?  "  I  shouted. 

He  turned  his  head. 

"What!  A  girl  left?"  he  cried.  "No.  The 
fire  has  cut  off  the  other  boats.  We  must  all  get  on 
the  raft.  Stand  by  with  the  girl,  and  I  '11  see  you  safe." 


THE   LIFE-RAFT.  247 

The  life-raft  was  a  big  affair  that  Rectus  and  I  had 
often  examined.  It  had  two  long,  air-tight  cylinders, 
of  iron,  I  suppose,  kept  apart  by  a  wide  framework. 
On  this  framework,  between  the  cylinders,  canvas 
was  stretched,  and  on  this  the  passengers  were  to  sit. 
Of  course  it  would  be  impossible  to  sink  a  thing  like 
this. 

In  a  very  short  time,  the  raft  was  lifted  to  the  side 
of  the  vessel  and  pushed  overboard.  It  was  bound  to 
come  right  side  up.  And  as  soon  as  it  was  afloat,  the 
men  began  to  drop  down  on  it.  The  captain  had  hold 
of  a  line  that  was  fastened  to  it,  and  I  think  one  of  the 
mates  had  another  line. 

"  Get  down  !  Get  down  !  "  cried  the  captain  to  us. 

I  told  Rectus  to  jump  first,  as  the  vessel  rolled  that 
way,  and  he  landed  all  right,  and  stood  up  as  well 
as  he  could  to  catch  Corny.  Over  she  went  at  the 
next  roll,  with  a  good  send  from  me,  and  I  came  right 
after  her.  I  heard  the  captain  shout : 

"  All  hands  aboard  the  raft!"  and  then,  in  a  minute, 
he  jumped  himself.  Some  of  the  men  pushed  her  off 
with  a  pole.  It  was  almost  like  floating  right  on  the 
surface  of  the  water,  but  I  felt  it  was  perfectly  safe. 
Nothing  could  make  those  great  cylinders  sink.  We 
floated  away  from  the  ship,  and  we  were  all  glad 
enough  of  it,  for  the  air  was  getting  hot.  The  whole 
front  part  of  the  vessel  was  blazing  away  like  a  house 
on  fire.  I  don't  remember  whether  the  engines  were 
still  working  or  not,  but  at  any  rate  we  drifted  astern, 
and  were  soon  at  quite  a  little  distance  from  the 
steamer. 


248  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

It  was  safe  enough,  perhaps,  on  the  raft,  but  it  was 
not  in  the  least  comfortable.  We  were  all  crowded 
together,  crouching  on  the  canvas,  and  the  water  just 
swashed  about  us  as  if  we  were  floating  boards.  We 
went  up  and  down  on  the  waves  with  a  motion  that 
would  n't  have  been  so  bad  had  we  not  thought  we 
might  be  shuffled  off,  if  a  big  wave  turned  us  over 
a  little  too  much.  But  there  were  lots  of  things  to 
hold  on  to,  and  we  all  stuck  close  together.  We  three 
were  in  the  middle.  The  captain  told  us  to  get  there. 
There  is  no  way  of  telling  how  glad  I  was  that  the 
captain  was  with  us.  I  was  well  satisfied,  anyway,  to 
be  with  the  party  on  the  raft.  I  might  have  liked 
it  better  in  a  boat,  but  I  think  most  of  the  men  in  the 
boats  were  waiters,  or  stewards,  or  passengers — fellows 
who  were  in  a  hurry  to  get  off.  The  officers  and 
sailors  who  remained  behind  to  do  their  best  for  the 
ship  and  the  passengers  were  the  men  on  the  raft; 
and  these  I  felt  we  could  trust.  I  think  there  were 
ten  of  them,  besides  the  captain,  making  fourteen  of  us 
in  all. 

There  we  all  sat,  while  the  ship  blazed  and  crackled 
away,  before  us.  She  drifted  faster  than  we  did,  and 
so  got  farther  and  farther  away  from  us.  The  fire 
lighted  up  the  sea  for  a  good  distance,  and  every  time 
we  rose  on  the  top  of  a  wave,  some  of  us  looked  about 
to  see  if  we  could  see  anything  of  the  other  boats. 
But  we  saw  nothing  of  them.  Once  I  caught  sight  of 
a  black  spot  on  a  high  wave  at  quite  a  distance,  which 
I  thought  might  be  a  boat,  but  no  one  else  saw  it, 
and  it  was  gone  in  an  instant.  The  captain  said  it 


THE   LIFE-RAFT.  249 

made  no  real  difference  to  us  whether  we  saw  the 
other  boats  or  not ;  they  could  not  help  us.  All  the 
help  we  had  to  expect  was  from  some  passing  ship, 
which  might  see  us,  and  pick  us  up.  He  was  very 
encouraging,  though,  about  this,  for  he  said  we  were 
right  in  the  track  of  vessels  bound  North,  which  all 
sought  the  Gulf  Stream  ;  and,  besides,  a  burning  ship 
at  night  would  attract  the  attention  of  vessels  at  a 
great  distance,  and  some  of  them  would  be  sure  to 
make  for  us. 

"  We  '11  see  a  sail  in  the  morning,"  said  he  ;  "  make 
up  your  minds  to  that.  All  we  Ve  got  to  do  is  to 
stick  together  on  the  raft,  and  we  're  almost  sure  to  be 
picked  up." 

I  think  he  said  things  like  this  to  give  courage  to 
us  three,  but  I  don't  believe  we  needed  it,  particularly. 
Rectus  was  very  quiet,  but  I  think  that  if  he  could 
have  kept  himself  dry  he  would  have  been  pretty  well 
satisfied  to  float  until  daylight,  for  he  had  full  faith 
in  the  captain,  and  was  sure  we  should  be  picked  up. 
I  was  pretty  much  of  the  same  mind,  but  poor  Corny 
was  in  a  sad  way.  It  was  no  comfort  to  her  to  tell 
her  that  we  should  be  picked  up,  unless  she  could  be 
assured  that  the  same  ship  would  pick  up  her  father 
and  mother.  But  we  could  say  nothing  positive  about 
this,  of  course,  although  we  did  all  that  we  could,  in  a 
general  way,  to  make  her  feel  that  everything  would 
turn  out  all  right.  She  sat  wrapped  up  in  her  shawl, 
and  seldom  said  a  word.  But  her  eyes  were  wander 
ing  all  over  the  waves,  looking  for  a  boat. 

The  ship  was  now  quite  a  long  way  off,  still  burn- 
II* 


250  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

ing,  and  lighting  up  the  tops  of  the  waves  and 
the  sky.  Just  before  daybreak,  her  light  suddenly 
went  out. 

"  She  's  gone  down !  "  said  the  captain,  and  then  he 
said  no  more  for  a  long  time.  I  felt  very  sorry  for 
him.  Even  if  he  should  be  saved,  he  had  lost  his  ship, 
— had  seen  it  burn  up  and  sink  before  his  eyes.  Such 
a  thing  must  be  pretty  hard  on  a  captain.  Even  I  felt 
as  if  I  had  lost  a  friend.  The  old  "  Tigris  "  seemed  so 
well  known  to  us. 

It  was  now  more  dismal  than  ever.  It  was  darker ; 
and  although  the  burning  ship  could  do  us  no  good, 
we  were  sorry  to  have  her  leave  us.  Nobody  said 
much,  but  we  all  began  to  feel  pretty  badly.  Morning 
came  slowly,  and  we  were  wet  and  cold,  and  getting 
stiff.  Besides,  we  were  all  very  thirsty,  and  I,  for  one, 
was  hungry ;  but  there  was  no  good  reason  for  that, 
for  it  was  not  yet  breakfast- time.  Fortunately,  after 
a  while,  Corny  went  to  sleep.  We  were  very  glad  of 
it,  though  how  she  managed  to  sleep  while  the  raft 
was  rising  and  falling  and  sliding  and  sloshing  from 
one  wave  to  another,  I  can't  tell.  But  she  did  n't  have 
much  holding  on  to  do.  We  did  that  for  her. 

At  last  daylight  came,  and  then  we  began  to  look 
about  in  good  earnest.  We  saw  a  top-sail  off  on  the 
horizon,  but  it  was  too  far  for  our  raft  to  be  seen  from 
it,  and  it  might  be  coming  our  way  or  it  might  not. 
When  we  were  down  in  the  trough  of  the  waves  we 
could  see  nothing,  and  no  one  could  have  seen  us.  It 
was  of  no  use  to  put  up  a  signal,  the  captain  said,  until 
we  saw  a  vessel  near  enough  to  see  it. 


THE    LIFE-RAFT.  251 

We  waited,  and  we  waited,  and  waited,  until  it  was 
well  on  in  the  morning,  and  still  we  saw  no  other  sail. 
The  one  we  had  seen  had  disappeared  entirely. 

We  all  began  to  feel  miserable  now.  We  were  weak 
and  cold  and  wretched.  There  was  n't  a  thing  to  eat 
or  drink  on  the  raft.  The  fire  had  given  no  time  to 
get  anything.  Some  of  the  men  began  to  grumble. 
It  would  have  been  better,  they  said,  to  have  started 
off  as  soon  as  they  found  out  the  fire,  and  have  had 
time  to  put  something  to  eat  and  drink  on  the  raft.  It 
was  all  wasted  time  to  try  to  save  the  ship.  It  did  no 
good,  after  all.  The  captain  said  nothing  to  this.  He 
knew  that  he  had  done  his  duty  in  trying  to  put  out 
the  fire,  and  he  just  kept  his  mouth  shut,  and  looked 
out  for  a  sail.  There  was  one  man  with  us — a  red- 
faced,  yellow-haired  man — with  a  curly  beard,  and 
little  gold  rings  in  his  ears.  He  looked  more  like  a 
sailor  than  any  other  of  the  men,  and  Rectus  and  I 
always  put  him  down  for  the  sailor  who  had  been 
longer  at  sea,  and  knew  more  about  ships  and  sailing, 
than  any  other  of  the  crew.  But  this  man  was  the 
worst  grumbler  of  the  lot,  now,  and  we  altered  our 
opinion  about  him. 

Corny  woke  up  every  now  and  then,  but  she  soon 
went  to  sleep  again,  when  she  found  there  was  no 
boat  or  sail  in  sight  At  least,  I  thought  she  went  to 
sleep,  but  she  might  have  been  thinking  and  crying. 
She  was  so  crouched  up  that  we  could  not  see  whether 
she  was  awake  or  not. 


CHAPTER   XX. 
THE   RUSSIAN   BARK. 

WE  soon  began  to  think  the  captain  was  mistaken 
in  saying  there  would  be  lots  of  ships  coming 
this  way.  But  then,  we  could  n't  see  very  far.  Ships 
may  have  passed  within  a  few  miles  of  us,  without  our 
knowing  anything  about  it.  It  was  very  different  from 
being  high  up  on  a  ship's  deck,  or  in  her  rigging. 
Sometimes,  though,  we  seemed  high  enough  up,  when 
we  got  on  the  top  of  a  wave. 

It  was  fully  noon  before  we  saw  another  sail.  And 
when  we  saw  this  one  for  the  second  or  third  time  (for 
we  only  caught  a  glimpse  of  it  every  now  and  then), 
a  big  man,  who  had  been  sitting  on  the  edge  of  the 
raft,  and  hardly  ever  saying  a  word,  sung  out : 

"  I  believe  that  's  a  Russian  bark." 

And  after  he  had  had  two  or  three  more  sights  at 
her,  he  said : 

"Yes,  I  know  she  is." 

"That  's  so,"  said  the  captain;  "and  she  's  bearing 
down  on  us." 

353 


THE   RUSSIAN  BARK.  253 

Now,  how  in  the  world  they  knew  what  sort  of  a  ship 
that  was,  and  which  way  it  was  sailing,  I  could  n't  tell 
for  the  life  of  me.  To  me  it  was  a  little  squarish  spot 
on  the  lower  edge  of  the  sky,  and  I  have  always 
thought  that  I  could  see  well  enough.  But  these  sail 
ors  have  eyes  like  spy- glasses. 

Now,  then,  we  were  all  alive,  and  began  to  get  ready 
to  put  up  a  signal.  Fortunately,  the  pole  was  on  the 
raft, —  I  believe  the  captain  had  it  fastened  on,  think 
ing  we  might  want  it, —  and  now  all  we  had  to  do  was 
to  make  a  flag.  We  three  got  out  our  handkerchiefs, 
which  were  wet,  but  white  enough  yet,  and  the  cap 
tain  took  out  his.  We  tied  them  together  by  the  cor 
ners,  and  made  a  long  pennant  of  them.  When  we 
tied  one  end  of  this  to  the  pole,  it  made  quite  a  show. 
The  wind  soon  dried  it,  after  the  pole  was  hoisted  and 
held  up,  and  then  our  flag  fluttered  finely. 

The  sun  had  now  come  out  quite  bright  and  warm, 
which  was  a  good  thing  for  us,  for  it  dried  us  off  some 
what,  and  made  us  more  comfortable.  The  wind  had 
also  gone  down  a  good  deal.  If  it  had  not  been  for 
these  two  things,  I  don't  know  how  we  could  have 
stood  it.  But  the  waves  were  still  very  high. 

Every  time  we  saw  the  ship,  she  seemed  to  look 
bigger  and  bigger,  and  we  knew  that  the  captain  was 
right,  and  that  she  was  making  for  us.  But  she  was  a 
long  time  coming.  Even  after  she  got  so  near  that  we 
could  plainly  see  her  hull  and  masts  and  sails,  she  did 
not  seem  to  be  sailing  directly  toward  us.  Indeed, 
sometimes  I  thought  she  did  n't  notice  us.  She  would 
go  far  off  one  way,  and  then  off  the  other  way. 


254  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  Oh,  why  don't  she  come  right  to  us  ?  "  cried  Corny, 
beating  her  hands  on  her  knees.  "  She  is  n't  as  near 
now  as  she  was  half  an  hour  ago." 

This  was  the  first  time  that  Corny  had  let  herself 
out  in  this  way,  but  I  don't  wonder  she  did  it.  The 
captain  explained  that  the  ship  could  n't  sail  right  to 
us,  because  the  wind  was  not  in  the  proper  direction 
for  that.  She  had  to  tack.  If  she  had  been  a  steamer, 
the  case  would  have  been  different.  We  all  sat  and 
waited,  and  waved  our  flag. 

She  came  nearer  and  nearer,  and  it  was  soon  plain 
enough  that  she  saw  us.  The  captain  told  us  that  it 
was  all  right  now — all  we  had  to  do  was  to  keep  up 
our  courage,  and  we  'd  soon  be  on  board  the  bark. 
But  when  the  men  who  were  holding  the  pole  let  it 
down,  he  told  them  to  put  it  up  again.  He  wanted  to 
make  sure  they  should  see  us. 

At  last,  the  bark  came  so  near  that  we  could  see  the 
people  on  board,  but  still  she  went  past  us.  This  was 
the  hardest  to  bear  of  all,  for  she  seemed  so  near.  But 
when  she  tacked  and  came  back,  she  sailed  right  down 
to  us.  We  could  see  her  all  the  time  now,  whether  we 
were  up  or  down. 

"  She  '11  take  us  this  time,"  said  the  captain. 

I  supposed  that  when  the  ship  came  near  us  she 
would  stop  and  lower  a  boat,  but  there  seemed  to  be 
no  intention  of  the  kind.  A  group  of  men  stood  in 
her  bow,  and  I  saw  that  one  of  them  held  a  round  life- 
preserver  in  his  hand, — it  was  one  of  the  India-rubber 
kind,  filled  with  air,  and  to  it  a  line  was  attached. 
When  the  ship  was  just  opposite  to  us,  this  man 


THE    RUSSIAN   BARK.  255 

shouted  something  which  I  did  not  hear,  and  threw 
the  life-preserver.  It  fell  close  to  the  raft  I  thought, 
indeed,  it  was  coming  right  into  the  midst  of  us.  The 
red-faced  man  with  the  gold  ear-rings  was  nearest  to 
it.  He  made  a  grab  at  it,  and  missed  it.  On  went 
the  ship,  and  on  went  the  life-preserver,  skipping  and 
dancing  over  the  waves.  They  let  out  lots  of  line,  but 
still  the  life-preserver  was  towed  away. 

A  regular  howl  went  up  from  our  raft.  I  thought 
some  of  the  men  would  jump  into  the  sea  and  swim 
after  the  ship,  which  was  now  rapidly  leaving  us.  We 
heard  a  shout  from  the  vessel,  but  what  it  meant  I  did 
not  know.  On  she  went,  and  on,  as  if  she  was  never 
coming  back. 

"  She  '11  come  back,"  said  the  captain.  "  She  '11  tack 
again." 

But  it  was  hard  to  believe  him.  I  don't  know 
whether  he  believed  himself.  Corny  was  wildly  cry 
ing  now,  and  Rectus  was  as  white  as  a  sheet.  No  one 
seemed  to  have  any  hope  or  self-control  except  the 
captain.  Some  of  the  men  looked  as  if  they  did  not 
care  whether  the  ship  ever  came  back  or  not. 

"  The  sea  is  too  high,"  said  one  of  them.  "  She  'd 
swamp  a  boat,  if  she  'd  put  it  out." 

"  Just  you  wait !  "  said  the  captain. 

The  bark  sailed  away  so  far  that  I  shut  my  eyes.  I 
could  not  look  after  her  any  more.  Then,  as  we  rose 
on  the  top  of  a  wave,  I  heard  a  rumble  of  words  among 
the  men,  and  I  looked  out,  and  saw  she  was  tacking. 
Before  long,  she  was  sailing  straight  back  to  us,  and 
the  most  dreadful  moments  of  my  life  were  ended.  I 


256  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

had  really  not  believed  that  she  would  ever  return 
to  us. 

Again  she  came  plowing  along  before  us,  the  same 
group  on  her  bow;  again  the  life-preserver  was 
thrown,  and  this  time  the  captain  seized  it. 

In  a  moment  the  line  was  made  fast  to  the  raft. 
But  there  was  no  sudden  tug.  The  men  on  the  bark 
knew  better  than  that.  They  let  out  some  two  or 
three  hundred  feet  of  line  and  lay  to,  with  their  sails 
fluttering  in  the  wind. 

Then  they  began  to  haul  us  in.  I  don't  remember 
much  more  of  what  happened  just  about  this  time.  It 
was  all  a  daze  of  high  black  hull  and  tossing  waves, 
and  men  overhead,  and  ropes  coming  down,  and 
seeing  Corny  hauled  up  into  the  air.  After  a  while,  I 
was  hauled  up,  and  Rectus  went  before  me.  I  was 
told  afterward  that  some  of  the  stoutest  men  could 
scarcely  help  themselves,  they  were  so  cramped  and 
stiff,  and  had  to  be  hoisted  on  board  like  sheep. 

I  know  that  when  I  put  my  feet  on  the  deck,  my 
knees  were  so  stiff  that  I  could  not  stand.  Two 
women  had  Corny  between  them,  and  were  carrying 
her  below.  I  was  so  delighted  to  see  that  there  were 
women  on  board.  Rectus  and  I  were  carried  below, 
too,  and  three  or  four  rough-looking  fellows,  who 
did  n't  speak  a  word  that  we  could  understand,  set  to 
work  at  us  and  took  off  our  clothes,  and  rubbed  us 
with  warm  stuff,  and  gave  us  some  hot  tea  and  gruel, 
and  I  don't  know  what  else,  and  put  us  into  ham 
mocks,  and  stuffed  blankets  around  us,  and  made  me 
feel  warmer,  and  happier,  and  more  grateful  and 


THE   RUSSIAN  BARK.  257 

sleepy  than  I  thought  it  was  in  me  to  feel.  I  expect 
Rectus  felt  the  same.  In  about  five  minutes,  I  was 
fast  asleep. 

I  don't  know  how  long  it  was  before  I  woke  up. 
When  I  opened  my  eyes,  I  just  lay  and  looked  about 
me.  I  did  not  care  for  times  and  seasons.  I  knew  I 
was  all  right.  I  wondered  when  they  would  come 
around  again  with  gruel.  I  had  an  idea  they  lived 
on  gruel  in  that  ship,  and  I  remembered  that  it 
was  very  good.  After  a  while,  a  man  did  come 
around,  and  he  looked  into  my  hammock.  I  think 
from  his  cap  that  he  was  an  officer, — probably  a 
doctor.  When  he  saw  that  I  was  awake,  he  said  some 
thing  to  me.  I  had  seen  some  Russian  words  in 
print,  and  the  letters  all  seemed  upside  down,  or  lying 
sideways  on  the  page.  And  that  was  about  the  way 
he  spoke.  But  he  went  and  got  me  a  cup  of  tea,  and 
some  soup,  and  some  bread,  and  I  understood  his 
food  very  well. 

After  a  while,  our  captain  came  around  to  my  ham 
mock.  He  looked  a  great  deal  better  than  when  I  saw 
him  last,  and  said  he  had  had  a  good  sleep.  He  told 
me  that  Corny  was  all  right,  and  was  sleeping  again, 
and  that  the  mate's  wife  had  her  in  charge.  Rectus 
was  in  a  hammock  near  me,  and  I  could  hear  him 
snore,  as  if  he  were  perfectly  happy.  The  captain 
said  that  these  Russian  people  were  just  as  kind  as 
they  could  be ;  that  the  master  of  the  bark,  who  could 
speak  English,  had  put  his  vessel  under  his — our 
captain's — command,  and  told  him  to  cruise  around 
wherever  he  chose  in  search  of  the  two  boats. 


258  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  And  did  you  find  them  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  No,"  said  he.  "We  have  been  on  the  search  now 
for  twenty- four  hours,  and  can  see  nothing  of  them. 
But  I  feel  quite  sure  they  have  been  picked  up.  They 
could  row,  and  they  could  get  further  into  the  course 
of  vessels  than  we  were.  We  '11  find  them  when  we 
get  ashore." 

The  captain  was  a  hopeful  man,  but  I  could  not  feel 
as  cheerfully  as  he  spoke.  All  that  I  could  say  was: 
"  Poor  Corny  !  " 

He  did  not  answer  me,  but  went  away ;  and  soon, 
in  spite  of  all  my  doubts  and  fears,  I  fell  asleep. 

The  next  time  I  woke  up,  I  got  out  of  my  hammock, 
and  found  I  was  pretty  much  all  right.  My  clothes 
had  been  dried  and  ironed,  I  reckon,  and  were  lying 
on  a  chest  all  ready  for  me.  While  Rectus  and  I 
were  dressing,  for  he  got  up  at  the  same  time  that  I 
did,  our  captain  came  to  us,  and  brought  me  a  little 
package  of  greenbacks. 

"  The  master  of  the  bark  gave  me  these,"  said  the 
captain,  "  and  said  they  were  pinned  in  your  watch- 
pocket.  He  has  had  them  dried  and  pressed  out  for 
you." 

There  it  was,  all  the  money  belonging  to  Rectus  and 
myself,  which,  according  to  old  Mr.  Colbert's  advice, 
I  had  carefully  pinned  in  the  watch-pocket  of  my 
trousers  before  leaving  Nassau.  I  asked  the  captain 
if  we  should  not  pay  something  for  our  accommoda 
tions  on  this  vessel,  but  he  said  we  must  not  mention 
anything  of  the  kind.  The  people  on  the  ship  would 
not  listen  to  it.  Even  our  watches  seemed  to  have 


THE   RUSSIAN   BARK.  259 

suffered  no  damage  from  the  soaking  they  had  had  in 
our  wet  clothes. 

As  soon  as  we  were  ready,  we  went  up  on  deck,  and 
there  we  saw  Corny.  She  was  sitting  by  herself  near 
the  stern,  and  looked  like  a  different  kind  of  a  girl 
from  what  she  had  been  two  or  three  days  before. 
She  seemed  several  years  older. 

"  Do  you  really  think  the  other  boats  were  picked 
up  ?  "  she  said,  the  moment  she  saw  us. 

Poor  thing !  She  began  to  cry  as  soon  as  she  began 
to  speak.  Of  course,  we  sat  down  and  talked  to  her, 
and  said  everything  we  could  think  of  to  reassure  her. 
And  in  about  half  an  hour  she  began  to  be  much  more 
cheerful,  and  to  look  as  if  the  world  might  have  some 
thing  satisfactory  in  it  after  all. 

Our  captain  and  the  master  of  the  bark  now  came 
to  us.  The  Russian  master  was  a  pleasant  man,  and 
talked  pretty  good  English.  I  think  he  was  glad  to 
see  us,  but  what  we  said  in  the  way  of  thanks  embar 
rassed  him  a  good  deal.  I  suppose  he  had  never 
done  much  at  rescuing  people. 

He  and  our  captain  both  told  us  that  they  felt  quite 
sure  that  the  boats  had  either  reached  the  Florida 
coast  or  been  picked  up ;  for  we  had  cruised  very 
thoroughly  over  the  course  they  must  have  taken. 
We  were  a  little  north  of  Cape  Canavaral  when  the 
"Tigris"  took  fire. 

About  sundown  that  day,  we  reached  the  mouth  of 
the  Savannah  river  and  went  on  board  a  tug  to  go  up 
to  the  city,  while  our  bark  would  proceed  on  her  voy 
age.  There  were  fourteen  grateful  people  who  went 


260  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

down  the  side  of  that  Russian  bark  to  the  little  tug 
that  we  had  signalled;  and  some  of  us,  I  know,  were 
sorry  we  could  not  speak  Russian,  so  we  could  tell  our 
rescuers  more  plainly  what  we  thought  of  them. 

When  we  reached  Savannah,  we  went  directly  to 
the  hotel  where  Rectus  and  I  had  stopped  on  our 
former  visit,  and  there  we  found  ourselves  the  objects 
of  great  attention, —  I  don't  mean  we  three  particu 
larly,  but  the  captain  and  all  of  us.  We  brought  the 
news  of  the  burning  of  the  "Tigris,"  and  so  we 
immediately  knew  that  nothing  had  been  heard  of  the 
two  boats.  Corny  was  taken  in  charge  by  some  of 
the  ladies  in  the  hotel,  and  Rectus  and  I  told  the 
story  of  the  burning  and  the  raft  twenty  or  thirty 
times.  The  news  created  a  great  sensation,  and  was 
telegraphed  to  all  parts 'of  the  country.  The  United 
States  government  sent  a  revenue  cutter  from  Charles 
ton,  and  one  from  St.  Augustine,  to  cruise  along  the 
coast,  and  endeavor  to  find  some  traces  of  the 
survivors,  if  there  were  any. 

But  two  days  passed  and  no  news  came.  We 
thought  Corny  would  go  crazy. 

"  I  know  they  're  dead,"  she  said.  "  If  they  were 
alive,  anywhere,  we  'd  hear  from  them." 

But  we  would  not  admit  that,  and  tried,  in  every 
way,  to  prove  that  the  people  in  the  boats  might  have 
landed  somewhere  where  they  could  not  communicate 
with  us,  or  might  have  been  picked  up  by  a  vessel 
which  had  carried  them  to  South  America,  or  Europe, 
or  some  other  distant  place. 

"  Well,  why  don't  we   go  look  for  them,  then,   if 


THE    RUSSIAN   BARK.  261 

there  's  any  chance  of  their  being  on  some  desert 
island  ?  It  's  dreadful  to  sit  here  and  wait,  and  wait, 
and  do  nothing." 

Now  I  began  to  see  the  good  of  being  rich.  Rectus 
came  to  me,  soon  after  Corny  had  been  talking  about 
going  to  look  for  her  father  and  mother,  and  he 
said: 

"  Look  here,  Will," — he  had  begun  to  call  me 
"  Will,"  of  late,  probably  because  Corny  called  me  so, 
— "  I  think  it  is  too  bad  that  we  should  just  sit  here 
and  do  nothing.  I  spoke  to  Mr.  Parker  about  it,  and 
he  says,  we  can  get  a  tug-boat,  he  thinks,  and  go  out 
and  do  what  looking  we  can.  If  it  eases  our  minds, 
he  says,  there  's  no  objection  to  it.  So  I  'm  going  to 
telegraph  to  father  to  let  me  hire  a  tug-boat." 

I  thought  this  was  a  first-class  idea,  and  we  went  to 
see  Messrs.  Parker  and  Darrell,  who  were  merchants 
in  the  city,  and  the  owners  of  the  " Tigris."  They 
had  been  very  kind  to  us,  and  told  us  now  that  they 
did  not  suppose  it  would  do  any  real  good  for  us  to 
go  out  in  a  tug-boat  and  search  along  the  coast,  but 
that  if  we  thought  it  would  help  the  poor  girl  to  bear 
her  trouble  they  were  in  favor  of  the  plan.  They 
were  really  afraid  she  would  lose  her  reason  if  she  did 
not  do  something. 

Corny  was  now  staying  at  Mr.  Darrell's  house.  His 
wife,  who  was  a  tip-top  lady,  insisted  that  she  should 
come  there.  When  we  went  around  to  talk  to  Corny 
about  making  a  search,  she  said  that  that  was  exactly 
what  she  wanted  to  do.  If  we  would  take  her  out  to 
look  for  her  father  and  mother,  and  we  could  n't  find 


262  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

them  after  we  had  looked  all  we  could,  she  would 
come  back,  and  ask  nothing  more. 

Then  we  determined  to  go.  We  had  n't  thought 
of  taking  Corny  along,  but  Mr.  Darrell  and  the  others 
thought  it  would  be  best ;  and  Mrs.  Darrell  said  her 
own  colored  woman,  named  Celia,  should  go  with  her, 
and  take  care  of  her.  I  could  not  do  anything  but 
agree  to  things,  but  Rectus  telegraphed  to  his  father, 
and  got  authority  to  hire  a  tug ;  and  Mr.  Parker 
attended  to  the  business  himself;  and  the  tug  was  to 
be  ready  early  the  next  morning.  We  thought  this 
was  a  long  time  to  wait.  But  it  could  n't  be  helped. 

I  forgot  to  say  that  Rectus  and  I  had  telegraphed 
home  to  our  parents  as  soon  as  we  reached  Savannah, 
and  had  answers  back,  which  were  very  long  ones  for 
telegrams.  We  had  also  written  home.  But  we  did 
not  say  anything  to  Corny  about  all  this.  It  would 
have  broken  her  heart  if  she  had  thought  about  any 
one  writing  to  his  father  and  mother,  and  hearing  from 
them. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 
THE  TRIP   OF  THE  TUG. 

THE  tug-boat  was  a  little  thing,  and  not  very  clean; 
but  she  was  strong  and  sea- worthy,  we  were  told, 
and  therefore  we  were  satisfied.  There  was  a  small 
deck  aft,  on  which  Corny  and  Rectus  and  I  sat,  with 
Celia,  the  colored  woman  ;  and  there  were  some  dingy 
little  sleeping-places,  which  were  given  up  for  our  ben 
efit.  The  captain  of  the  tug  was  a  white  man,  but  all 
the  rest,  engineer,  fireman  and  hands — there  were  five 
or  six  in  all — were  negroes. 

We  steamed  down  the  Savannah  River  in  pretty 
good  style,  but  I  was  glad  when  we  got  out  of  it,  for 
I  was  tired  of  that  river.  Our  plan  was  to  go  down 
the  coast  and  try  to  find  tidings  of  the  boats.  They 
might  have  reached  land  at  points  where  the  revenue 
cutters  would  never  have  heard  from  them.  When  we 
got  out  to  sea,  the  water  was  quite  smooth,  although 
there  was  a  swell  that  rolled  us  a  great  deal.  The 
captain  said  that  if  it  had  been  rough  he  would  not 
have  come  out  at  all.  This  sounded  rather  badly  for 

263 


264  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

us,  because  he  might  give  up  the  search,  if  a  little 
storm  came  on.  And  besides,  if  he  was  afraid  of  high 
waves  in  his  tug,  what  chance  could  those  boats  have 
had? 

Toward  noon,  we  got  into  water  that  was  quite 
smooth,  and  we  could  see  land  on  the  ocean  side  of  us. 
I  could  n't  understand  this,  and  went  to  ask  the  cap 
tain  about  it.  He  said  it  was  all  right,  we  were  going 
to  take  the  inside  passage,  which  is  formed  by  the  isl 
ands  that  lie  along  nearly  all  the  coast  of  Georgia. 
The  strips  of  sea- water  between  these  islands  and  the 
mainland  make  a  smooth  and  convenient  passage  for 
the  smaller  vessels  that  sail  or  steam  along  this  coast. 
Indeed,  some  quite  good-sized  steamers  go  this  way, 
he  said. 

I  objected,  pretty  strongly,  to  our  taking  this  pas 
sage,  because,  I  said,  we  could  never  hear  anything  of 
the  boats  while  we  were  in  here.  But  he  was  positive 
that  if  they  had  managed  to  land  on  the  outside  of  any 
of  these  islands,  we  could  hear  of  them  better  from  the 
inside  than  from  the  ocean  side.  And  besides,  we 
could  get  along  a  great  deal  better  inside.  He  seemed 
to  think  more  of  that  than  anything  else. 

We  had  a  pretty  dull  time  on  that  tug.  There 
was  n't  a  great  deal  of  talking,  but  there  was  lots  of 
thinking,  and  not  a  very  pleasant  kind  of  thinking 
either.  We  stopped  quite  often  and  hailed  small 
boats,  and  the  captain  talked  to  people  whenever  he 
had  a  chance,  but  he  never  heard  anything  about  any 
boats  having  run  ashore  on  any  of  the  islands,  or  hav 
ing  come  into  the  inside  passage,  between  any  of  them. 


THE    TRIP    OF    THE    TUG.  265 

We  met  a  few  sailing  vessels,  and  toward  the  close  of 
the  afternoon  we  met  a  big  steamer,  something  like 
northern  river  steamers.  The  captain  said  she  ran 
between  the  St.  John's  River  and  Savannah,  and 
always  took  the  inside  passage  as  far  as  she  could.  He 
said  this  as  if  it  showed  him  to  be  in  the  right  in  taking 
the  same  passage,  but  I  could  n't  see  that  it  proved 
anything.  We  were  on  a  different  business. 

About  nine  o'clock  we  went  to  bed,  the  captain 
promising  to  call  us  if  anything  turned  up.  But  I 
could  n't  sleep  well — my  bunk  was  too  close  and  hot, 
and  so  I  pretty  soon  got  up  and  went  up  to  the  pilot 
house,  where  I  found  the  captain.  He  and  one  of  the 
hands  were  hard  at  work  putting  the  boat  around. 

"  Hello  !  "  said  he.  "  I  thought  you  were  sound 
asleep." 

"  Hello  !  "  said  I.  "  What  are  you  turning  round 
for  ?  " 

It  was  bright  starlight,  and  I  could  see  that  we  were 
making  a  complete  circuit  in  the  smooth  water. 

"Well,"  said  he,  "we  're  going  back." 

"  Back  !  "  I  cried.  "  What  's  the  meaning  of  that  r 
We  have  n't  made  half  a  search.  I  don't  believe 
we  Ve  gone  a  hundred  miles.  We  want  to  search  the 
whole  coast,  I  tell  you,  to  the  lower  end  of  Florida." 

"  You  can't  do  it  in  this  boat,"  he  said  ;  "  she  's  too 
small." 

"  Why  did  n't  you  say  so  when  we  took  her  ?  " 

"  Well,  there  was  n't  any  other,  in  the  first  place, 
and  besides,  it  would  n't  be  no  good  to  go  no  further. 
It 's  more  'n  four  days,  now,  since  them  boats  set  out. 

12 


266  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

There  's  no  chance  fur  anybody  on  'em  to  be 
livin'." 

"  That  's  not  for  you  to  decide,"  I  said,  and  I  was 
very  angry.  "  We  want  to  find  our  friends,  dead  or 
alive,  or  find  some  news  of  them,  and  we  want  to 
cruise  until  we  know  there  's  no  further  chance  of 
doing  so." 

"Well,"  said  he,  ringing  the  bell  to  go  ahead,  sharp, 
"  I  'm  not  decidin'  anything.  I  had  my  orders.  I  was 
to  be  gone  twenty-four  hours ;  an'  it  '11  be  more  'n 
that  by  the  time  I  get  back." 

"  Who  gave  you  those  orders  ?  " 

"  Parker  and  Darrell,"  said  he. 

"Then  this  is  all  a  swindle,"  I  cried.  "And  we  Ve 
been  cheated  into  taking  this  trip  for  nothing  at 
all !  " 

"  No,  it  is  n't  a  swindle,"  he  answered,  rather 
warmly.  "  They  told  me  all  about  it.  They  knew, 
an'  I  knew,  that  it  was  n't  no  use  to  go  looking  for 
two  boats  that  had  been  lowered  in  a  big  storm  four 
days  ago,  'way  down  on  the  Florida  coast.  But  they 
could  see  that  this  here  girl  would  never  give  in  till 
she  'd  had  a  chance  of  doin'  what  she  thought  she  was 
called  on  to  do,  and  so  they  agreed  to  give  it  to  her. 
But  they  told  me  on  no  account  to  keep  her  out 
more  'n  twenty-four  hours.  That  would  be  long 
enough  to  satisfy  her,  and  longer  than  that  would  n't 
be  right.  I  tell  you  they  know  what  they  're  about." 

"Well,  it  wont  be  enough  to  satisfy  her,"  I  said, 
and  then  I  went  down  to  the  little  deck.  I  could  n't 
make  the  man  turn  back.  I  thought  the  tug  had  been 


THE    TRIP    OF   THE    TUG.  267 

hired  to  go  wherever  we  chose  to  take  her,  but  I  had 
been  mistaken.     I  felt  that  we  had  been  deceived ;  but 
there  was  no  use  in  saying  anything  more  on  the  sub 
ject  until  we  reached  the  city. 

I  did  not  wake  Rectus  to  tell  him  the  news.  It 
would  not  do  any  good,  and  I  was  afraid  Corny  might 
hear  us.  I  wanted  her  to  sleep  as  long  as  she  could, 
and,  indeed,  I  dreaded  the  moment  when  she  should 
awake,  and  find  that  all  had  been  given  up. 

We  steamed  along  very  fast  now.  There  was  no 
stopping  anywhere.  I  sat  on  the  deck  and  thought  a 
little,  and  dozed  a  little  ;  and  by  the  time  it  was  morn 
ing,  I  found  we  were  in  the  Savannah  River.  I  now 
hated  this  river  worse  than  ever. 

Everything  was  quiet  on  the  water,  and  everything, 
except  the  engine,  was  just  as  quiet  on  the  tug.  Rec 
tus  and  Corny  and  Celia  were  still  asleep,  and  nobody 
else  seemed  stirring,  though,  of  course,  some  of  the 
men  were  at  their  posts.  I  don't  think  the  captain 
wanted  to  be  about  when  Corny  came  out  on  deck, 
and  found  that  we  had  given  up  the  search.  I 
intended  to  be  with  her  when  she  first  learned  this 
terrible  fact,  which  I  knew  would  put  an  end  to  all 
hope  in  her  heart ;  but  I  was  in  no  hurry  for  her  to 
wake  up.  I  very  much  hoped  she  would  sleep  until 
we  reached  the  city,  and  then  we  could  take  her 
directly  to  her  kind  friends. 

And  she  did  sleep  until  we  reached  the  city.  It  was 
about  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  I  think,  when  we 
began  to  steam  slowly  by  the  wharves  and  piers.  I 
now  wished  the  city  were  twenty  miles  further  on.  I 


268  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

knew  that  when  we  stopped  I  should  have  to  wake  up 
poor  Corny. 

The  city  looked  doleful.  Although  it  was  not  very 
early  in  the  morning,  there  were  very  few  people 
about.  Some  men  could  be  seen  on  the  decks  of  the 
vessels  at  the  wharves,  and  a  big  steamer  for  one  of 
the  northern  ports  was  getting  up  steam.  I  could  not 
help  thinking  how  happy  the  people  must  be  who  were 
going  away  in  her.  On  one  of  the  piers  near  where 
we  were  going  to  stop — we  were  coming  in  now — 
were  a  few  darkey  boys,  sitting  on  a  wharf-log,  and 
dangling  their  bare  feet  over  the  water.  I  wondered 
how  they  dared  laugh,  and  be  so  jolly.  In  a  few 
minutes  Corny  must  be  wakened.  On  a  post,  near 
these  boys,  a  lounger  sat  fishing  with  a  long  pole, — 
actually  fishing  away  as  if  there  were  no  sorrows  and 
deaths,  or  shipwrecked  or  broken-hearted  people  in 
the  world.  I  was  particularly  angry  at  this  man — 
and  I  was  so  nervous  that  all  sorts  of  things  made  me 
angry — because  he  was  old  enough  to  know  better, 
and  because  he  looked  like  such  a  fool.  He  had  on 
green  trousers,  dirty  canvas  shoes  and  no  stockings,  a 
striped  linen  coat,  and  an  old  straw  hat,  which  lopped 
down  over  his  nose.  One  of  the  men  called  to  him  to 
catch  the  line  which  he  was  about  to  throw  on  the 
wharf,  but  he  paid  no  attention,  and  a  negro  boy 
came  and  caught  the  line.  The  man  actually  had  a 
bite,  and  could  n't  take  his  eyes  from  the  cork.  I 
wished  the  line  had  hit  him  and  knocked  him  off  the  post. 

The  tide  was  high,  and  the  tug  was  not  much  below 
the  wharf  when  we  hauled  up.  Just  as  we  touched 


THE    TRIP    OF    THE    TUG.  269 

the  pier,  the  man,  who  was  a  little  astern  of  us,  caught 
his  fish.  He  jerked  it  up,  and  jumped  off  his  post, 
and,  as  he  looked  up  in  delight  at  his  little  fish,  which 
was  swinging  in  the  air,  I  saw  he  was  Mr.  Chipperton ! 

I  made  one  dash  for  Corny's  little  cubby-hole.  I 
banged  at  the  door.  I  shouted  : 

"  Corny  !     Here  's  your  father  !  " 

She  was  out  in  an  instant.  She  had  slept  in  her 
clothes.  She  had  no  bonnet  on.  She  ran  out  on  deck, 
and  looked  about,  dazed.  The  sight  of  the  wharves 
and  the  ships  seemed  to  stun  her. 

"Where?"  she  cried. 

I  took  her  by  the  arm  and  pointed  out  her  father, 
who  still  stood  holding  the  fishing-pole  in  one  hand, 
while  endeavoring  to  clutch  the  swinging  fish  with  the 
other. 

The  plank  had  just  been  thrown  out  from  the  little 
deck.  Corny  made  one  bound.  I  think  she  struck 
the  plank  in  the  middle,  like  an  India-rubber  ball,  and 
then  she  was  on  the  wharf ;  and  before  he  could  bring 
his  eyes  down  to  the  earth,  her  arms  were  around  her 
father's  neck,  and  she  was  wildly  kissing  and  hugging 
him. 

Mr.  Chipperton  was  considerably  startled,  but  when 
he  saw  who  it  was  who  had  him,  he  threw  his  arms 
around  Corny,  and  hugged  and  kissed  her  as  if  he  had 
gone  mad. 

Rectus  was  out  by  this  time,  and  as  he  and  I  stood 
on  the  tug,  we  could  not  help  laughing,  although  we 
were  so  happy  that  we  could  have  cried.  There  stood 
that  ridiculous  figure,  Mr.  Chipperton,  in  his  short 


270  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

green  trousers  and  his  thin  striped  coat,  with  his  arms 
around  his  daughter,  and  the  fishing-pole  tightly 
clasped  to  her  back,  while  the  poor  little  fish  dangled 
and  bobbed  at  every  fresh  hug. 

Everybody  on  board  was  looking  at  them,  and  one 
of  the  little  black  boys,  who  did  n't  appear  to  appre 
ciate  sentiment,  made  a  dash  for  the  fish,  unhooked  it, 
and  put  like  a  good  fellow.  This  rather  broke  the 
spell  that  was  on  us  all,  and  Rectus  and  I  ran  on 
shore. 

We  did  not  ask  any  questions,  we  were  too  glad  to 
see  him.  After  he  had  put  Corny  on  one  side,  and 
had  shaken  our  hands  wildly  with  his  left  hand,  for  his 
right  still  held  the  pole,  and  had  tried  to  talk  and 
found  he  could  n't,  we  called  a  carriage  that  had  just 
come  up,  and  hustled  him  and  Corny  into  it.  I  took 
the  pole  from  his  hand,  and  asked  him  where  he  would 
go  to.  He  called  out  the  name  of  the  hotel  where  we 
were  staying,  and  I  shut  the  door,  and  sent  them  off. 
I  did  not  ask  a  word  about  Corny's  mother,  for  I  knew 
Mr.  Chipperton  would  not  be  sitting  on  a  post  and 
fishing  if  his  wife  was  dead. 

I  threw  the  pole  and  line  away,  and  then  Rectus  and 
I  walked  up  to  the  hotel.  We  forgot  all  about  Celia, 
who  was  left  to  go  home  when  she  chose. 

It  was  some  hours  before  we  saw  the  Chippertons, 
and  then  we  were  called  into  their  room,  where  there 
was  a  talking  and  a  telling  things,  such  as  I  never 
heard  before. 

It  was  some  time  before  I  could  get  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Chipperton's  story  straight,  but  this  was  about  the 


THE    TRIP    OF    THE    TUG.  271 

amount  of  it:  They  were  picked  up  sooner  than 
we  were — just  after  day-break.  When  they  left  the 
ship,  they  rowed  as  hard  as  they  could,  for  several 
hours,  and  so  got  a  good  distance  from  us.  It  was  well 
they  met  with  a  vessel  as  soon  as  they  did,  for  all  the 
women  who  had  been  on  the  steamer  were  in  this  boat, 
and  they  had  a  hard  time  of  it.  The  water  dashed 
over  them  very  often,  and  Mr.  Chipperton  thought 
that  some  of  them  could  not  have  held  out  much 
longer  (I  wondered  what  they  would  have  done  on 
our  raft). 

The  vessel  that  picked  them  up  was  a  coasting 
schooner  bound  to  one  of  the  Florida  Keys,  and  she 
would  n't  put  back  with  them,  for  she  was  under  some 
sort  of  a  contract,  and  kept  right  straight  on  her  way. 
When  they  got  down  there,  they  chartered  a  vessel 
which  brought  them  up  to  Fernandina,  where  they 
took  the  steamer  for  Savannah.  They  were  on  the 
very  steamer  we  passed  in  the  inside  passage.  If  we 
had  only  known  that ! 

They  telegraphed  the  moment  they  reached  Fernan 
dina,  and  proposed  stopping  at  St.  Augustine,  but  it 
was  thought  they  could  make  better  time  by  keeping 
right  on  to  Fernandina.  The  telegram  reached  Savan 
nah  after  we  had  left  on  the  tug. 

Mr.  Chipperton  said  he  got  his  fancy  clothes  on 
board  the  schooner.  He  bought  them  of  a  man — a 
passenger,  I  believe — who  had  an  extra  suit. 

"  I  think,"  said  Mr.  Chipperton,  "  he  was  the  only 
man  on  that  mean  little  vessel  who  had  two  suits  of 
clothes.  I  don't  know  whether  these  were  his  week- 


272  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

day  or  his  Sunday  clothes.  As  for  my  own,  they  were 
so  wet  that  I  took  them  off  the  moment  I  got  on  board 
the  schooner,  and  I  never  saw  them  again.  I  don't 
know  what  became  of  them,  and,  to  tell  the  truth,  I 
have  n't  thought  of  'em.  I  was  too  glad  to  get  started 
for  Savannah,  where  I  knew  we  'd  meet  Corny,  if  she 
was  alive.  You  see,  I  trusted  in  you  boys." 

Just  here,  Mrs.  Chipperton  kissed  us  both  again. 
This  made  several  times  that  she  had  done  it.  We 
did  n't  care  so  much,  as  there  was  no  one  there  but 
ourselves  and  the  Chippertons. 

"  When  we  got  here,  and  found  you  had  gone  to 
look  for  us,  I  wanted  to  get  another  tug  and  go  right 
after  you,  but  my  wife  was  a  good  deal  shaken  up,  and 
I  did  not  want  to  leave  her ;  and  Parker  and  Darrell 
said  they  had  given  positive  orders  to  have  you 
brought  back  this  morning,  so  I  waited.  I  was  only 
too  glad  to  know  you  were  all  safe.  I  got  up  early  in 
the  morning,  and  went  down  to  watch  for  you.  You 
must  have  been  surprised  to  see  me  fishing,  but  I  had 
nothing  else  to  do,  and  so  I  hired  a  pole  and  line  of  a 
boy.  It  helped  very  much  to  pass  the  time  away." 

"  Yes,"  said  Rectus,  "  you  did  n't  notice  us  at  all, 
you  were  so  much  interested." 

"  Well,  you  see,"  said  Mr.  Chipperton,  "  I  had  a 
bite  just  at  that  minute ;  and,  besides,  I  really  did  not 
look  for  you  on  such  a  little  boat.  I  had  an  idea  you 
would  come  on  something  more  respectable  than  that." 

"  As  if  we  should  ever  think  of  respectability  at 
such  a  time !  "  said  Mrs.  Chipperton,  with  tears  in  her 
eyes. 


THE    TRIP    OF    THE    TUG.  273 

"  As  for  you  boys,"  said  Mr.  Chipperton,  getting  up 
and  taking  us  each  by  the  hand,  "  I  don't  know  what 
to  say  to  you." 

I  thought,  for  my  part,  that  they  had  all  said  enough 
already.  They  had  praised  and  thanked  us  for  things 
we  had  never  thought  of. 

"  I  almost  wish  you  were  orphans,"  he  continued, 
"  so  that  I  might  adopt  you.  But  a  boy  can't  have 
more  than  one  father.  However,  I  tell  you  !  a  boy 
can  have  as  many  uncles  as  he  pleases.  I  '11  be  an 
uncle  to  each  of  you  as  long  as  I  live.  Ever  after  this 
call  me  Uncle  Chipperton.  Do  you  hear  that  ?  " 

We  heard,  and  said  we  'd  do  it. 

Soon  after  this,  lots  of  people  came  in,  and  the  whole 
thing  was  gone  over  again  and  again.  I  am  sorry  to 
say  that,  at  one  or  two  places  in  the  story,  Mrs.  Chip 
perton  kissed  us  both  again. 

Before  we  went  down  to  dinner,  I  asked  Uncle 
Chipperton  how  his  lung  had  stood  it,  through  all  this 
exposure. 

"  Oh,  bother  the  lung !  "  he  said.  "  I  tell  you,  boys, 
I  Ve  lost  faith  in  that  lung, — at  least,  in  there  being 
anything  the  matter  with  it.  I  shall  travel  for  it  no 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

LOOKING  AHEAD. 

"  "TT  7E  have  made  up  our  minds,"  said  Uncle  Chip- 
VY  perton,  that  afternoon,  "to  go  home  and 
settle  down,  and  let  Corny  go  to  school.  I  hate  to 
send  her  away  from  us,  but  it  will  be  for  her  good. 
But  that  wont  be  until  next  fall.  We  '11  keep  her  until 
then.  And  now,  I  '11  tell  you  what  I  think  we  'd  all 
better  do.  It  's  too  soon  to  go  North  yet.  No  one 
should  go  from  the  soft  climate  of  the  semi-tropics  to 
the  Northern  or  Middle  States  until  mild  weather  has 
fairly  set  in  there.  And  that  will  not  happen  for  a 
month  yet. 

"  Now,  this  is  my  plan.  Let  us  all  take  a  leisurely 
trip  homeward  by  the  way  of  Mobile,  and  New  Orleans 
and  the  Mississippi  River.  This  will  be  just  the  sea 
son,  and  we  shall  be  just  the  party.  What  do  you 
say  ?  " 

Everybody,  but  me,  said  it  would  be  splendid.  I 
had  exactly  the  same  idea  about  it,  but  I  did  n't  say 
so,  for  there  was  no  use  in  it.  I  could  n't  go  on  a  trip 

374 


LOOKING    AHEAD.  275 

like  that.  I  had  been  counting  up  my  money  that 
morning,  and  found  I  would  have  to  shave  pretty 
closely  to  get  home  by  rail, —  and  I  wanted,  very  much, 
to  go  that  way — although  it  would  be  cheaper  to 
return  by  sea, — for  I  had  a  great  desire  to  go  through 
North  and  South  Carolina  and  Virginia,  and  see  Wash 
ington.  It  would  have  seemed  like  a  shame  to  go 
back  by  sea,  and  miss  all  this.  But,  as  I  said,  I  had 
barely  enough  money  for  this  trip,  and  to  make  it  I 
must  start  the  next  day.  And  there  was  no  use  writ 
ing  home  for  money.  I  knew  there  was  none  there  to 
spare,  and  I  would  n't  have  asked  for  it  if  there  had 
been.  If  there  was  any  travelling  money,  some  of 
the  others  ought  to  have  it.  I  had  had  my  share. 

It  was  very  different  with  Rectus  and  the  Chipper- 
tons.  They  could  afford  to  take  this  trip,  and  there 
was  no  reason  why  they  should  n't  take  it. 

When  I  told  them  this,  Uncle  Chipperton  flashed  up 
in  a  minute,  and  said  that  that  was  all  stuff  and  nonsense, 
—  the  trip  should  n't  cost  me  a  cent  What  was  the 
sense,  he  said,  of  thinking  of  a  few  dollars  when  such 
pleasure  was  in  view  ?  He  would  see  that  I  had  no 
money-troubles,  and  if  that  was  all,  I  could  go  just  as 
well  as  not.  Did  n't  he  owe  me  thousands  of  dollars? 

All  this  was  very  kind,  but  it  did  n't  suit  me.  I 
knew  that  he  did  not  owe  me  a  cent,  for  if  I  had  done 
anything  for  him,  I  made  no  charge  for  it.  And  even 
if  I  had  been  willing  to  let  him  pay  my  expenses, — 
which  I  was  n't, —  my  father  would  never  have  listened 
to  it. 

So  I  thanked  him,  but  told  him  the  thing  could  n't  be 


276  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

worked  in  that  way,  and  I  said  it  over  and  over  again, 
until,  at  last,  he  believed  it.  Then  he  offered  to  lend  me 
the  money  necessary,  but  this  offer  I  had  to  decline, 
too.  As  I  had  no  way  of  paying  it  back,  I  might  as 
well  have  taken  it  as  a  gift.  There  was  n't  anything 
he  could  offer,  after  this,  except  to  get  me  a  free  pass ; 
and  as  he  had  no  way  of  doing  that,  he  gave  up  the 
job,  and  we  all  went  down  to  supper.  That  evening, 
as  I  was  putting  a  few  things  into  a  small  valise  which 
I  had  bought, — as  our  trunks  were  lost  on  the  "Ti 
gris,"  I  had  very  little  trouble  in  packing  up, —  I  said 
to  Rectus  that  by  the  time  he  started  off  he  could  lay 
in  a  new  stock  of  clothes.  I  had  made  out  our  accounts, 
and  had  his  money  ready  to  hand  over  to  him,  but  I 
knew  that  his  father  had  arranged  for  him  to  draw  on 
a  Savannah  bank,  both  for  the  tug-boat  money  and  for 
money  for  himself.  I  think  that  Mr.  Colbert  would 
have  authorized  me  to  do  this  drawing,  if  Rectus  had 
not  taken  the  matter  into  his  own  hands  when  he  tele 
graphed.  But  it  did  n't  matter,  and  there  was  n't  any 
tug-boat  money  to  pay,  any  way,  for  Uncle  Chipper- 
ton  paid  that.  He  said  it  had  all  been  done  for  his 
daughter,  and  he  put  his  foot  down  hard,  and  would  n't 
let  Rectus  hand  over  a  cent 

"I  wont  have  any  more  time  than  you  will  have," 
replied  Rectus,  "for  I  'm  going  to-morrow." 

"  I  did  n't  suppose  they  'd  start  so  soon,"  I  said. 
"  I  'm  sure  there  's  no  need  of  any  hurry." 

"  I  'm  not  going  with  them,"  said  Rectus,  putting  a 
lonely  shirt  into  a  trunk  that  he  had  bought.  "  I  'm 
going  home  with  you." 


LOOKING    AHEAD. 


277 


I  was  so  surprised  at  this  that  I  just  stared  at  him. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  said  I. 

"  Mean  ?  "  said  he.  "  Why,  just  what  I  say.  Do 
you  suppose  I  'd  go  off  with  them,  and  let  you  straggle 
up  home  by  yourself?  Not  any  for  me,  thank  you. 
And  besides,  I  thought  you  were  to  take  charge  of 


"YOU  'RE  A  REGULAR  YOUNG  TRUMP." 

me.     How  would  you  look  going  back   and    saying 
you  'd  turned  me  over  to  another  party  ?  " 

"You  thought  I  was  to  take  charge  of  you,  did 
you  ?  "  I  cried.  "  Well,  you  're  a  long  time  saying  so. 
You  never  admitted  that  before." 


278  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

"  I  had  better  sense  than  that,"  said  Rectus,  with  a 
grin.  "  But  I  don't  mind  saying  so  now,  as  we  're 
pretty  near  through  with  our  travels.  But  father  told 
me  expressly  that  I  was  to  consider  myself  in  your 
charge." 

"  You  young  rascal !  "  said  I.  "  And  he  thought 
that  you  understood  it  so  well  that  there  was  no  need 
of  saying  much  to  me  about  it.  All  that  he  said  ex 
pressly  to  me  was  about  taking  care  of  your  money. 
But  I  tell  you  what  it  is,  Rectus,  you  're  a  regular 
young  trump  to  give  up  that  trip,  and  go  along  with 
me." 

And  I  gave  him  a  good  slap  on  the  back. 

He  winced  at  this,  and  let  drive  a  pillow  at  me,  so 
hard  that  it  nearly  knocked  me  over  a  chair. 

The  next  morning,  after  an  early  breakfast,  we  went 
to  bid  the  Chippertons  good-bye.  We  intended  to 
walk  to  the  depot,  and  so  wanted  to  start  early.  I 
was  now  cutting  down  all  extra  expenses. 

"  Ready  so  soon  !  "  cried  Uncle  Chipperton,  appear 
ing  at  the  door  of  his  room.  "  Why,  we  have  n't  had 
our  breakfast  yet." 

"  We  have  to  make  an  early  start,  if  we  go  by  the 
morning  train,"  said  I,  "and  we  wanted  to  see  you  all 
before  we  started." 

"  Glad  to  see  you  at  any  hour  of  the  night  or  day, 
— always  very  glad  to  see  you ;  but  I  think  we  had 
better  be  getting  our  breakfast,  if  the  train  goes  so 
early." 

"  Are  you  going  to  start  to-day  ?  "  I  asked,  in  sur» 
prise. 


LOOKING   AHEAD.  279 

"Certainly,"  said  he.  "Why  should  n't  we?  I 
bought  a  new  suit  of  clothes  yesterday,  and  my  wife 
and  Corny  look  well  enough  for  travelling  purposes. 
We  can  start  as  well  as  not,  and  I  'd  go  in  my  green 
trousers  if  I  had  n't  any  others.  My  dear,"  he  said, 
looking  into  the  room,  "  you  and  Corny  must  come 
right  down  to  breakfast." 

"  But  perhaps  you  need  not  hurry,"  I  said.  "  I 
don't  know  when  the  train  for  Mobile  starts." 

"Mobile!  "he  cried.  "Who  's  going  to  Mobile? 
Do  you  suppose  that  we  are  ?  Not  a  bit  of  it.  When  I 
proposed  that  trip,  I  did  n't  propose  it  for  Mrs.  Chip- 
perton,  or  Corny,  or  myself,  or  you,  or  Rectus,  or 
Tom,  or  Dick,  or  Harry.  I  proposed  it  for  all  of  us. 
If  all  of  us  cannot  go,  none  of  us  can.  If  you  must  go 
north  this  morning,  so  must  we.  We  Ve  nothing  to 
pack,  and  that  's  a  comfort.  Nine  o'clock,  did  you 
say  ?  You  may  go  on  to  the  depot,  if  you  like,  and 
we  '11  eat  our  breakfasts,  take  a  carriage,  and  be  there 
in  time." 

They  were  there  in  time,  and  we  all  went  north 
together. 

We  had  a  jolly  trip.  We  saw  Charleston,  and  Rich 
mond,  and  Washington,  and  Baltimore,  and  Philadel 
phia  ;  and  at  last  we  saw  Jersey  City,  and  our  folks 
waiting  for  us  in  the  great  depot  of  the  Pennsylvania 
railroad. 

When  I  saw  my  father  and  mother  and  my  sister 
Helen  standing  there  on  the  stone  foot-walk,  as  the 
cars  rolled  in,  I  was  amazed.  I  had  n't  expected 
them.  It  was  all  right  enough  for  Rectus  to  expect 


280  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

his  father  and  mother,  for  they  lived  in  New  York,  but 
I  had  supposed  that  I  should  meet  my  folks  at  the 
station  in  Willisville.  But  it  was  a  capital  idea  in 
them  to  come  to  New  York.  They  said  they  could  n't 
wait  at  home,  and  besides,  they  wanted  to  see  and 
know  the  Chippertons,  for  we  all  seemed  so  bound 
together,  now. 

Well,  it  was  n't  hard  to  know  the  Chippertons. 
Before  we  reached  the  hotel  where  my  folks  were  stay 
ing,  and  where  we  all  went  to  take  luncheon  together, 
any  one  would  have  thought  that  Uncle  Chipperton 
was  really  a  born  brother  to  father  and  old  Mr.  Colbert. 
How  he  did  talk !  How  everybody  talked  !  Except 
Helen.  She  just  sat  and  listened  and  looked  at  Corny 
— a  girl  who  had  been  shipwrecked,  and  had  been  on 
a  little  raft  in  the  midst  of  the  stormy  billows.  My 
mother  and  the  two  other  ladies  cried  a  good  deal, 
but  it  was  a  sunshiny  sort  of  crying,  and  would  n't 
have  happened  so  often,  I  think,  if  Mrs.  Chipperton 
had  not  been  so  ready  to  lead  off. 

After  luncheon  we  sat  for  two  or  three  hours  in  one 
of  the  parlors,  and  talked,  and  talked,  and  talked.  It 
was  a  sort  of  family  congress.  Everybody  told  every 
body  else  what  he  or  she  was  going  to  do,  and  took 
information  of  the  same  kind  in  trade.  I  was  to  go 
to  college  in  the  fall,  but  as  that  had  been  pretty  much 
settled  long  ago,  it  could  n't  be  considered  as  news.  I 
looked  well  enough,  my  father  said,  to  do  all  the  hard 
studying  that  was  needed;  and  the  professor  was 
anxiously  waiting  to  put  me  through  a  course  of  train 
ing  for  the  happy  lot  of  Freshman. 


LOOKING    AHEAD.  281 

"  But  he  's  not  going  to  begin  his  studies  as  soon  as 
he  gets  home,"  said  my  mother.  "  We  're  going  to 
have  him  to  ourselves  for  a  while."  And  I  did  not 
doubt  that.  I  had  n't  been  gone  very  long,  to  be  sure, 
but  then  a  ship  had  been  burned  from  under  me,  and 
that  counted  for  about  a  year's  absence. 

Corny's  fate  had  been  settled,  too,  in  a  general  way, 
but  the  discussion  that  went  on  about  a  good  board 
ing-school  for  her  showed  that  a  particular  settlement 
might  take  some  time.  Uncle  Chipperton  wanted  her 
to  go  to  some  school  near  his  place  on  the  Hudson 
River,  so  that  he  could  drive  over  and  see  her  every  day 
or  two,  and  Mrs.  Colbert  said  she  thought  that  that 
would  n't  do,  because  no  girl  could  study  as  she  ought 
to,  if  her  father  was  coming  to  see  her  all  the  time, 
and  Uncle  Chipperton  wanted  to  know  what  possible 
injury  she  thought  he  would  do  his  daughter  by  going 
to  see  her ;  and  Mrs.  Colbert  said,  none  at  all,  of 
course  she  did  n't  mean  that,  and  Mrs.  Chipperton 
said  that  Corny  and  her  father  ought  really  to  go  to 
the  same  school,  and  then  we  all  laughed,  and  my 
father  put  in  quickly,  and  asked  about  Rectus.  It  was 
easy  to  see  that  it  would  take  all  summer  to  get  a 
school  for  Corny. 

"Well,"  said  Mr.  Colbert,  "I  've  got  a  place  for 
Sammy.  Right  in  my  office.  He  's  to  be  a  man  of 
business,  you  know.  He  never  took  much  to  school- 
ing.  I  sent  him  travelling  so  that  he  could  see  the 
world,  and  get  himself  in  trim  for  dealing  with  it.  And 
that  's  what  we  have  to  do  in  our  business.  Deal  with 
the  world." 


282  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

I  did  n't  like  this,  and  I  don't  think  Rectus  did, 
either.  He  walked  over  to  one  of  the  windows,  and 
looked  out  into  the  street. 

"  I  '11  tell  you  what  I  think,  sir,"  said  I.  "  Rectus 
—  I  mean  your  son  Samuel,  only  I  shall  never  call  him 
so  —  has  seen  enough  of  the  world  to  make  him  so 
wide  awake  that  he  sees  more  in  schooling  than  he 
used  to.  That  's  my  opinion  !  " 

I  knew  that  Rectus  rather  envied  my  going  to  col 
lege,  for  he  had  said  as  much  on  the  trip  home ;  and  I 
knew  that  he  had  hoped  his  father  would  let  him  make 
a  fresh  start  with  the  professor  at  our  old  school. 

"Sammy,"  cried  out  Mrs.  Colbert, — "Sammy,  my 
son,  do  you  want  to  go  to  school,  and  finish  up  your 
education,  or  go  into  your  father's  office,  and  learn  to 
be  a  merchant  ?" 

Rectus  turned  around  from  the  window. 

"There  's  no  hurry  about  the  merchant,"  he  said. 
"  I  want  to  go  to  school  and  college,  first." 

"  And  that  's  just  where  you  're  going,"  said  his 
mother,  with  her  face  reddening  up  a  little  more  than 
common. 

Mr.  Colbert  grinned  a  little,  but  said  nothing.  I 
suppose  he  thought  it  would  be  of  no  use,  and  I  had 
an  idea,  too,  that  he  was  very  glad  to  have  Rectus 
determine  on  a  college  career.  I  know  the  rest  of  us 
were.  And  we  did  n't  hold  back  from  saying  so, 
either. 

Uncle  Chipperton  now  began  to  praise  Rectus,  and 
he  told  what  obligations  the  boy  had  put  him  under  in 
Nassau,  when  he  wrote  to  his  father,  and  had  that  suit 


LOOKING   AHEAD.  283 

about  the  property  stopped,  and  so  relieved  him  — 
Uncle  Chipperton  —  from  cutting  short  his  semi-tropi 
cal  trip,  and  hurrying  home  to  New  York  in  the  middle 
of  winter. 

"But  the  suit  is  n't  stopped,"  said  Mr.  Colbert. 
"  You  don't  suppose  I  would  pay  any  attention  to  a 
note  like  the  one  Sammy  sent  me,  do  you  ?  I  just  let 
the  suit  go  on,  of  course.  It  has  not  been  decided  yet, 
but  I  expect  to  gain  it." 

At  this,  Uncle  Chipperton  grew  very  angry  indeed. 
It  was  astonishing  to  see  how  quickly  he  blazed  up. 
He  had  supposed  the  whole  thing  settled,  and  now  to 
find  that  the  terrible  injustice  —  as  he  considered  it — 
was  still  going  on,  was  too  much  for  him. 

"  Do  you  sit  there  and  tell  me  that,  sir  ?  "  he  ex 
claimed,  jumping  up  and  skipping  over  to  Mr.  Colbert. 
"  Do  you  call  yourself " 

"  Father!"  cried  Corny.  "Keep  perfectly  cool! 
Remain  just  where  you  are  !  " 

Uncle  Chipperton  stopped  as  if  he  had  run  against 
a  fence.  His  favorite  advice  went  straight  home  to 
him. 

"Very  good,  my  child,"  said  he,  turning  to  Corny. 
"That  's  just  what  I  '11  do." 

And  he  said  no  more  about  it. 

Now,  everybody  began  to  talk  about  all  sorts  of 
things,  so  as  to  seem  as  if  they  had  n't  noticed  this 
little  rumpus,  and  we  agreed  that  we  must  all  see  each 
other  again  the  next  day.  Father  said  he  should 
remain  in  the  city  for  a  few  days,  now  that  we  were  all 
here,  and  Uncle  Chipperton  did  not  intend  to  go  to 


284  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

his  country-place  until  the  weather  was  warmer.  We 
were  speaking  of  several  things  that  would  be  pleasant 
to  do  together,  when  Uncle  Chipperton  broke  in  with 
a  proposition  : 

"  I  '11  tell  you  what  I  am  going  to  do.  I  am  going 
to  give  a  dinner  to  this  party.  I  can't  invite  you  to 
my  house,  but  I  shall  engage  a  parlor  in  a  restaurant, 
where  I  have  given  dinners  before  (we  always  come  to 
New  York  when  I  want  to  give  dinners — it  's  so  much 
easier  for  us  to  come  to  the  city  than  for  a  lot  of 
people  to  come  out  to  our  place),  and  there  I  shall 
give  you  a  dinner,  to-morrow  evening.  Nobody  need 
say  anything  against  this.  I  've  settled  it,  and  I  can't 
be  moved." 

As  he  could  n't  be  moved,  no  one  tried  to  move 
him. 

"  I  tell  you  what  it  is,"  said  Rectus  privately  to  me. 
"  If  Uncle  Chipperton  is  going  to  give  a  dinner,  accord 
ing  to  his  own  ideas  of  things  in  general,  it  will  be  a 
curious  kind  of  a  meal." 

It  often  happened  that  Rectus  was  as  nearly  right  as 
most  people. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 
UNCLE  CHIPPERTON'S  DINNER. 

next  day  was  a  busy  one  for  father  and  mother 
L  and  myself.  All  the  morning  we  were  out,  laying 
in  a  small  stock  of  baggage,  to  take  the  place  of  what 
I  had  lost  on  the  "Tigris."  But  I  was  very  sorry, 
especially  on  my  sister  Helen's  account,  that  I  had  lost 
so  many  things  in  my  trunk  which  I  could  not  replace, 
without  going  back  myself  to  Nassau.  I  could  buy 
curiosities  from  those  regions  that  were  ever  so  much 
better  than  any  that  I  had  collected ;  but  I  could  not 
buy  shells  that  I  myself  had  gathered,  nor  great  seed- 
pods,  like  bean-pods  two  feet  long,  which  I  had  picked 
from  the  trees,  nor  pieces  of  rock  that  I  myself  had 
brought  up  from  a  coral-reef. 

But  these  were  all  gone,  and  I  pacified  Helen  by 
assuring  her  that  I  would  tell  her  such  long  stories 
about  these  things  that  she  could  almost  see  them  in 
her  mind's  eye.  But  I  think,  by  the  way  she  smiled, 
that  she  had  only  a  second-rate  degree  of  belief  in  my 

285 


286  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

power  of  description.  She  was  a  smart  little  thing, 
and  she  believed  that  Corny  was  the  queen  of  girls. 

While  I  am  speaking  of  the  "  Tigris "  and  our 
fosses,  I  will  just  say  that  the  second  boat  which  left 
the  burning  steamer  was  never  heard  from. 

We  reached  our  hotel  about  noon,  pretty  tired,  for  we 
had  been  rushing  things,  as  it  was  necessary  for  father 
to  go  home  early  the  next  day.  On  the  front  steps 
we  found  Uncle  Chipperton,  who  had  been  waiting  for 
us.  He  particularly  wanted  to  see  me.  He  lunched 
with  us,  and  then  he  took  me  off  to  the  place  where 
he  was  to  have  his  dinner,  at  six  o'clock  that  evening. 
He  wanted  to  consult  with  me  about  the  arrangements 
of  the  table ;  where  each  person  should  sit,  and  all 
that  sort  of  thing.  I  could  n't  see  the  use  in  this, 
because  it  was  only  a  kind  of  family  party,  and  we 
should  all  be  sure  to  get  seated,  if  there  were  chairs 
and  places  enough.  But  Uncle  Chipperton  wanted  to 
plan  and  arrange  everything  until  he  was  sure  it  was 
just  right.  That  was  his  way. 

After  he  had  settled  these  important  matters,  and 
the  head-waiter  and  the  proprietor  had  become  con 
vinced  that  I  was  a  person  of  much  consequence,  who 
had  to  be  carefully  consulted  before  anything  could  be 
done,  we  went  down  stairs,  and  at  the  street-door 
Uncle  Chipperton  suddenly  stopped  me. 

"  See  here,"  said  he,  "I  want  to  tell  you  something. 
"  I  'm  not  coming  to  this  dinner." 

"Not — coming!"  I  exclaimed,  in  amazement. 

"  No,"  said  he,  "  I  Ve  been  thinking  it  over,  and 
have  fully  made  up  my  mind  about  it.  You  see,  this 


UNCLE    CHIPPERTOWS   DINNER.          287 

is  intended  as  a  friendly  reunion, — an  occasion  of 
good  feeling  and  fellowship  among  people  who  are 
bound  together  in  a  very  peculiar  manner." 

"Yes,"  I  interrupted,  "and  that  seems  to  me,  sir, 
the  very  reason  why  you  should  be  there." 

"  The  very  reason  why  I  should  not  be  there,"  he 
said.  "  You  see,  I  could  n't  sit  down  with  that  most 
perverse  and  obstinate  man,  Colbert,  and  feel  sure  that 
something  or  other  would  not  occur  which  would  make 
an  outbreak  between  us,  or,  at  any  rate,  bad  feeling. 
In  fact,  I  know  I  could  not  take  pleasure  in  seeing  him 
enjoy  food.  This  may  be  wrong,  but  I  can't  help  it. 
It  's  in  me.  And  I  wont  be  the  means  of  casting  a 
shadow  over  the  happy  company  which  will  meet  here 
to-night.  No  one  but  your  folks  need  know  I  'm  not 
coming.  The  rest  will  not  know  why  I  am  detained, 
and  I  shall  drop  in  toward  the  close  of  the  meal,  just 
before  you  break  up.  I  want  you  to  ask  your  father 
to  take  the  head  of  the  table.  He  is  just  the  man  for 
such  a  place,  and  he  ought  to  have  it,  too,  for  another 
reason.  You  ought  to  know  that  this  dinner  is  really 
given  to  you  in  your  honor.  To  be  sure,  Rectus  is  a 
good  fellow — splendid — and  does  everything  that  he 
knows  how ;  but  my  wife  and  I  know  that  we  owe  all 
our  present  happiness  to  your  exertions  and  good 
sense." 

He  went  on  in  this  way  for  some  time,  and  although 
I  tried  to  stop  him,  I  could  n't  do  it. 

"  Therefore,"  he  continued,  "  I  want  your  father  to 
preside,  and  all  of  you  to  be  happy,  without  a  suspicion 
of  a  cloud  about  you.  At  any  rate,  I  shall  be  no  cloud. 


288  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

Come  around  here  early,  and  see  that  everything  is  all 
right.  Now  I  must  be  off." 

And  away  he  went 

I  did  not  like  this  state  of  affairs  at  all.  I  would 
have  much  preferred  to  have  no  dinner.  It  was  not 
necessary,  any  way.  If  I  had  had  the  authority,  I 
would  have  stopped  the  whole  thing.  But  it  was 
Uncle  Chipperton's  affair,  he  paid  for  it,  and  I  had  no 
right  to  interfere  with  it. 

My  father  liked  the  matter  even  less  than  I  did.  He 
said  it  was  a  strange  and  unwarrantable  performance 
on  the  part  of  Chipperton,  and  he  did  not  understand 
it.  And  he  certainly  did  not  want  to  sit  at  the  head 
of  the  table  in  another  man's  place.  I  could  not  say 
anything  to  him  to  make  him  feel  better  about  it.  I 
made  him  feel  worse,  indeed,  when  I  told  him  that 
Uncle  Chipperton  did  not  want  his  absence  explained, 
or  alluded  to,  any  more  than  could  be  helped.  My 
father  hated  to  have  to  keep  a  secret  of  this  kind. 

In  the  afternoon,  I  went  around  to  the  hotel  where 
the  Chippertons  always  staid,  when  they  were  in  New 
York,  to  see  Corny  and  her  mother.  I  found  them 
rather  blue.  Uncle  Chipperton  had  not  been  able  to 
keep  his  plan  from  them,  and  they  thought  it  was 
dreadful.  I  could  not  help  letting  them  see  that  I  did 
not  like  it,  and  so  we  did  n't  have  as  lively  a  time  as 
we  ought  to  have  had. 

I  supposed  that  if  I  went  to  see  Rectus,  and  told 
him  about  the  matter,  I  should  make  him  blue,  too. 
But,  as  I  had  no  right  to  tell  him,  and  also  felt  a  pretty 
strong  desire  that  some  of  the  folks  should  come  with 


UNCLE    CHIPPERTON'S   DINNER.          289 

good  spirits  and  appetites,  I  kept  away  from  him.  He 
would  have  been  sure  to  see  that  something  was  the 
matter. 

I  was  the  first  person  to  appear  in  the  dining-room 
of  the  restaurant  where  the  dinner-table  was  spread 
for  us.  It  was  a  prettily  furnished  parlor  in  the  sec 
ond  story  of  the  house,  and  the  table  was  very  taste 
fully  arranged  and  decorated  with  flowers.  I  went 
early,  by  myself,  so  as  to  be  sure  that  everything  was 
exactly  right  before  the  guests  arrived.  All  seemed 
perfectly  correct ;  the  name  of  each  member  of  the 
party  was  on  a  card  by  a  plate.  Even  little  Helen 
had  her  plate  and  her  card.  It  would  be  her  first 
appearance  at  a  regular  dinner-party. 

The  guests  were  not  punctual.  At  ten  minutes  past 
six,  even  my  father,  who  was  the  most  particular  of 
men  in  such  things,  had  not  made  his  appearance.  I 
waited  five,  ten,  fifteen,  twenty  minutes  more,  and 
became  exceedingly  nervous. 

The  head-waiter  came  in  and  asked  if  my  friends 
understood  the  time  that  had  been  set.  The  dinner 
would  be  spoiled  if  it  were  kept  much  longer.  I  said 
that  I  was  sure  they  knew  all  about  the  time  set,  and 
that  there  was  nothing  to  be  done  but  to  wait.  It  was 
most  unaccountable  that  they  should  all  be  late. 

I  stood  before  the  fireplace  and  waited,  and  thought. 
I  ran  down  to  the  door,  and  looked  up  and  down  the 
street.  I  called  a  waiter  and  told  him  to  look  into  all 
the  rooms  in  the  house.  They  might  have  gone  into 
the  wrong  place.  But  they  were  not  to  be  seen  any 
where. 

13 


290  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

Then  I  went  back  to  the  fireplace,  and  did  some 
more  thinking.  There  was  no  sense  in  supposing  that 
they  had  made  a  mistake.  They  all  knew  this  restau 
rant,  and  they  all  knew  the  time.  In  a  moment,  I  said 
to  myself: 

"  I  know  how  it  is.  Father  has  made  up  his  mind 
that  he  will  not  be  mixed  up  in  any  affair  of  this  kind, 
where  a  quarrel  keeps  the  host  of  the  party  from  occu 
pying  his  proper  place,  especially  as  he — my  father 
—  is  expected  to  occupy  that  place  himself.  So  he 
and  mother  and  Helen  have  just  quietly  staid  in  their 
rooms  at  the  hotel.  Mrs.  Chipperton  and  Corny  wont 
come  without  Uncle  Chipperton.  They  might  ride 
right  to  the  door,  of  course,  but  they  are  ashamed, 
and  don't  want  to  have  to  make  explanations ;  and  it 
is  ridiculous  to  suppose  that  they  wont  have  to  be 
made.  As  for  Rectus  and  his  people,  they  could  not 
have  heard  anything,  but, —  I  have  it.  Old  Colbert 
got  his  back  up,  too,  and  would  n't  come,  either  for 
fear  a  quarrel  would  be  picked,  or  because  he  could 
take  no  pleasure  in  seeing  Uncle  Chipperton  enjoying 
food.  And  Rectus  and  his  mother  would  n't  come 
without  him." 

It  turned  out,  when  I  heard  from  all  the  parties, 
that  I  had  got  the  matter  exactly  right. 

"We  shall  have  to  make  fresh  preparations,  sir,  if 
we  wait  any  longer,"  said  the  head-waiter,  coming  in 
with  an  air  of  great  mental  disturbance. 

"  Don't  wait,"  said  L  "  Bring  in  the  dinner.  At 
least,  enough  for  me.  I  don't  believe  any  one  else  will 
be  here." 


UNCLE    CHIPPERTON'S   DINNER.  291 

The  waiter  looked  bewildered,  but  he  obeyed.  I 
took  my  seat  at  the  place  where  my  card  lay,  at  the 
middle  of  one  side  of  the  table,  and  spread  my  napkin 
in  my  lap.  The  head-waiter  waited  on  me  himself, 
and  one  or  two  other  waiters  came  in  to  stand  around, 
and  take  away  dishes,  and  try  to  find  something  to  do. 

It  was  a  capital  dinner,  and  I  went  carefully  through 
all  the  courses.  I  was  hungry.  I  had  been  saving  up 
some  extra  appetite  for  this  dinner,  and  my  regular 
appetite  was  a  very  good  one. 

I  had  raw  oysters, 

And  soup, 

And  fish,  with  delicious  sauce, 

And  roast  duck, 

And  croquettes,  made  of  something  extraordinarily 
nice, 

And  beef  a  la  mode, 

And  all  sorts  of  vegetables,  in  their  proper  places, 

And  ready-made  salad, 

And  orange  pie, 

And  wine-jelly, 

And  ice-cream, 

And  bananas,  oranges  and  white  grapes, 

And  raisins,  and  almonds  and  nuts, 

And  a  cup  of  coffee. 

I  let  some  of  these  things  off  pretty  easy,  toward  the 
last ;  but  I  did  not  swerve  from  my  line  of  duty.  I 
went  through  all  the  courses,  quietly  and  deliberately. 
It  was  a  dinner  in  my  honor,  and  I  did  all  the  honor  I 
could  to  it. 

I  was  leaning  back  in  my  chair,  with  a  satisfied  soul, 


292  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

and  nibbling  at  some  raisins,  while  I  slowly  drank  my 
coffee,  when  the  outer  door  opened,  and  Uncle  Chip- 
perton  entered. 

He  looked  at  me  in  astonishment.  Then  he  looked 
at  the  table,  with  the  clean  plates  and  glasses  at  every 
place,  but  one.  Then  he  took  it  all  in,  or  at  least  I 
supposed  he  did,  for  he  sat  down  on  a  chair  near  the 
door,  and  burst  out  into  the  wildest  fit  of  laughing. 
The  waiters  came  running  into  the  room  to  see  what 
was  the  matter ;  but  for  several  minutes  Uncle  Chip- 
perton  could  not  speak.  He  laughed  until  I  thought 
he  'd  crack  something.  I  laughed,  too,  but  not  so 
much. 

"  I  see  it  all,"  he  gasped,  at  last.  "  I  see  it  all.  I 
see  just  how  it  happened." 

And  when  we  compared  our  ideas  of  the  matter,  we 
found  that  they  were  just  the  same. 

I  wanted  him  to  sit  down  and  eat  something,  but  he 
would  not  do  it.  He  said  he  would  n't  spoil  such  a 
unique  performance  for  anything.  It  was  one  of  the 
most  comical  meals  he  had  ever  heard  of. 

I  was  glad  he  enjoyed  it  so  much,  for  he  paid  for 
the  whole  dinner  for  ten,  which  had  been  prepared  at 
his  order. 

When  we  reached  the  street,  Uncle  Chipperton  put 
on  a  graver  look. 

"  This  is  all  truly  very  funny,"  he  said,  "  but,  after 
all,  there  is  something  about  it  which  makes  me  feel 
ashamed  of  myself.  Would  you  object  to  take  a 
ride  ?  It  is  only  about  eight  o'clock.  I  want  to  go 
up  to  see  old  Colbert." 


UNCLE    CHIPPERTON'S   DINNER.  293 

I  agreed  to  go,  and  we  got  into  a  street- car.  The 
Colberts  lived  in  one  of  the  up- town  streets,  and 
Uncle  Chipperton  had  been  at  their  house,  on  busi 
ness. 

"I  never  went  to  see  them  in  a  friendly  way  be 
fore,"  he  said. 

It  was  comforting  to  hear  that  this  was  to  be  a 
friendly  visit. 

When  we  reached  the  house,  we  found  the  family  of 
three  in  the  parlor.  They  had  probably  had  all  the 
dinner  they  wanted,  but  they  did  not  look  exactly 
satisfied  with  the  world  or  themselves. 

"Look  here,  Colbert,"  said  Uncle  Chipperton,  after 
shaking  hands  with  Mrs.  Colbert,  "  why  did  n't  you 
go  to  my  dinner  ?  " 

"Well,"  said  Mr.  Colbert,  looking  him  straight  in 
the  face,  "  I  thought  I  'd  better  stay  where  I  was.  I 
did  n't  want  to  make  any  trouble,  or  pick  any  quarrels. 
I  did  n't  intend  to  keep  my  wife  and  son  away ;  but 
they  would  n't  go  without  me." 

"  No,  indeed,"  said  Mrs.  Colbert. 

"  Oh,  well !  "  said  Uncle  Chipperton,  "  you  need  n't 
feel  bad  about  it.  I  did  n't  go,  myself." 

At  this,  they  all  opened  their  eyes  as  wide  as  the 
law  allowed. 

"  No,"  he  continued,  "  I  did  n't  want  to  make  any 
disturbance,  or  ill-feeling,  and  so  I  did  n't  go,  and  my 
wife  and  daughter  did  n't  want  to  go  without  me,  and 
so  they  did  n't  go,  and  I  expect  Will's  father  and 
mother  did  n't  care  to  be  on  hand  at  a  time  when  bad 
feeling  might  be  shown,  and  so  they  did  n't  go.  There 


294  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

was  no  one  there  but  Will.  He  ate  all  of  the  dinner 
that  was  eaten.  He  went  straight  through  it,  from  one 
end  to  the  other.  And  there  was  no  ill-feeling,  no 
discord,  no  cloud  of  any  kind.  All  perfectly  harmoni 
ous,  was  n't  it,  Will  ?  " 

"  Perfectly,"  said  I. 

"I  just  wish  I  had  known  about  it,"  said  Rectus,  a 
little  sadly. 

"And  now,  Mr.  Colbert,"  said  Uncle  Chipperton,"! 
don't  want  this  to  happen  again.  There  may  be  other 
reunions  of  this  kind,  and  we  may  want  to  go.  And 
there  ought  to  be  such  reunions  between  families 
whose  sons  and  daughter  have  been  cast  away 
together,  on  a  life- raft,  in  the  middle  of  the  ocean." 

"That  's  so,"  said  Mrs.  Colbert,  warmly. 

"  I  thought  they  were  saved  on  a  life-raft,"  said  old 
Colbert,  dryly.  "  And  I  did  n't  know  it  was  in  the 
middle  of  the  ocean." 

"  Well,  fix  that  as  you  please,"  said  Uncle  Chipper- 
ton.  "  What  I  want  to  propose  is  this :  Let  us  settle 
our  quarrel.  Let  's  split  our  difference.  Will  you 
agree  to  divide  that  four  inches  of  ground,  and  call  it 
square?  I  '11  pay  for  two  inches." 

"  Do  you  mean  you  '11  pay  half  the  damages  I  Ve 
laid  ?  "  asked  old  Colbert. 

"That  's  what  I  mean,"  said  Uncle  Chipperton. 

"All  right,"  said  Mr.  Colbert;  "  I  '11  agree."  And 
they  shook  hands  on  it. 

"  Now,  then,"  said  Uncle  Chipperton,  who  seemed 
unusually  lively,  "  I  must  go  see  the  Gordons,  and 
explain  matters  to  them.  Wont  you  come  along, 
Rectus  ?  "  And  Rectus  came. 


UNCLE    CHIPPERTON'S   DINNER.          295 

On  the  way  to  our  hotel,  we  stopped  for  Corny  and 
her  mother.  We  might  as  well  have  a  party,  Uncle 
Chipperton  said. 

We  had  a  gay  time  at  our  rooms.  My  father  and 
mother  were  greatly  amused  at  the  way  the  thing  had 
turned  out,  and  very  much  pleased  that  Mr.  Colbert 
and  Uncle  Chipperton  had  become  reconciled  to  each 
other. 

"  I  thought  he  had  a  good  heart,"  said  my  mother, 
softly,  to  me,  looking  over  to  Uncle  Chipperton,  who 
was  telling  my  father,  for  the  second  time,  just  how  I 
looked,  as  I  sat  alone  at  the  long  table. 

Little  Helen  had  not  gone  to  bed  yet,  and  she  was 
sorry  about  the  dinner  in  the  same  way  that  Rectus 
was.  So  was  Corny,  but  she  was  too  glad  that  the 
quarrel  between  her  father  and  Mr.  Colbert  was  over, 
to  care  much  for  the  loss  of  the  dinner.  She  was 
always  very  much  disturbed  by  quarrels  between 
friends  or  friends'  fathers. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE    STORY   ENDS. 

r  I  ^HREE  letters  came  to  me  the  next  morning.  I 
JL  was  rather  surprised  at  this,  because  I  did  not 
expect  to  get  letters  after  I  found  myself  at  home;  or, 
at  least,  with  my  family.  The  first  of  these  was  handed 
to  me  by  Rectus.  It  was  from  his  father.  This  is  the 
letter : 

"  MY  DEAR  BOY  :  "  (This  opening  seemed  a  little  curious  to  me,  for  I 
did  not  suppose  the  old  gentleman  thought  of  me  in  that  way. )  "  I  shall  not 
be  able  to  see  you  again  before  you  leave  for  Willisville,  so  I  write  this 
note  just  to  tell  you  how  entirely  I  am  satisfied  with  the  way  in  which 
you  performed  the  very  difficult  business  I  intrusted  to  you  —  that  of 
taking  charge  of  my  son  in  his  recent  travels.  The  trip  was  not  a  very 
long  one,  but  I  am  sure  it  has  been  of  great  service  to  him ;  and  I  also 
believe  that  a  great  deal  of  the  benefit  he  has  received  has  been  due  to 
you."  (I  stopped  here,  and  tried  to  think  what  I  had  done  for  the  boy. 
Besides  the  thrashing  I  gave  him  in  Nassau,  I  could  not  think  of  any 
thing.  )  "I  have  been  talking  a  great  deal  with  Sammy,  in  the  last  day  or 
two,  about  his  doings  while  he  was  away,  and  although  I  cannot  exactly  fix 
my  mind  on  any  particular  action,  on  your  part,  which  proves  what  I  say  " 
(he  was  in  the  same  predicament  here  in  which  I  was  myself),  "  yet  I 
feel  positively  assured  that  your  companionship  and  influence  have  been 
of  the  greatest  service  to  him.  Among  other  things,  he  really  wants  to 


THE   STORY  ENDS.  297 

go  to  college.  I  am  delighted  at  this.  It  was  with  much  sorrow  that  I 
gave  up  the  idea  of  making  him  a  scholar :  but,  though  he  was  a  good 
boy,  I  saw  that  it  was  useless  to  keep  him  at  the  academy  at  Willisville, 
and  so  made  up  my  mind  to  take  him  into  my  office.  But  I  know 
you  put  this  college  idea  into  his  head,  though  how,  I  cannot  say, 
and  I  am  sure  that  it  does  not  matter.  Sammy  tells  me  that  you 
never  understood  that  he  was  to  be  entirely  in  your  charge ;  but  since 
you  brought  him  out  so  well  without  knowing  this,  it  does  you  more 
credit.  I  am  very  grateful  to  you.  If  I  find  a  chance  to  do  you  a  real 
service,  I  will  do  it 

u  Yours  very  truly, 

"  SAMUEL  COLBERT,  SR." 

The  second  letter  was  handed  to  me  by  Corny,  and 
was  from  her  mother.  I  shall  not  copy  that  here,  for 
it  is  much  worse  than  Mr.  Colbert's.  It  praised  me 
for  doing  a  lot  of  things  which  I  never  did  at  all ;  but 
I  excused  Mrs.  Chipperton  for  a  good  deal  she  said, 
for  she  had  passed  through  so  much  anxiety  and 
trouble,  and  was  now  going  to  settle  down  for  good, 
with  Corny  at  school,  that  I  did  n't  wonder  she  felt 
happy  enough  to  write  a  little  wildly.  But  there  was 
one  queer  resemblance  between  her  letter  and  old  Mr. 
Colbert's.  She  said  two  or  three  times — it  was  an 
awfully  long  letter — that  there  was  not  any  particular 
thing  that  she  alluded  to  when  she  spoke  of  my 
actions.  That  was  the  funny  part  of  it.  They  could  n't 
put  their  fingers  on  anything  really  worth  mentioning, 
after  all. 

My  third  letter  had  come  by  mail,  and  was  a  little 
old.  My  mother  gave  it  to  me,  and  told  me  that  it 
had  come  to  the  post-office  at  Willisville  about  a  week 
before,  and  that  she  had  brought  it  down  to  give  it  to 
me,  but  had  totally  forgotten  it  until  that  morning.  It 


298  A    JOLLY  FELLOWSHIP. 

was  from  St.  Augustine,  and  this  is  an  exact  copy 
of  it: 

"  My  good  friend  Big  Little  Man.  I  love  you.  My  name  Maiden's 
Heart.  You  much  pious.  You  buy  beans.  Pay  good.  Me  wants  one 
speckled  shirt.  Crowded  Owl  want  one  speckled  shirt,  too.  You  send 
two  speckled  shirts.  You  good  Big  Little  Man.  You  do  that.  Good- 
bye. 

"  MAIDEN'S  HEART,  Cheyenne  Chief. 

"Written  by  me,  James  R.  Chalott,  this  seventh  day  of  March,  187-, 
at  the  dictation  of  the  above-mentioned  Maiden's  Heart.  He  has 
requested  me  to  add  that  he  wants  the  speckles  to  be  red,  and  as  large 
as  you  can  get  them." 

During  the  morning,  most  of  our  party  met  to  bid 
each  other  good-bye.  Corny,  Rectus  and  I  were 
standing  together,  having  our  little  winding-up  talk, 
when  Rectus  asked  Corny  if  she  had  kept  her  gray 
bean,  the  insignia  of  our  society. 

"  To  be  sure  I  have,"  she  said,  pulling  it  out  from 
under  her  cloak.  "  I  have  it  on  this  little  chain  which 
I  wear  around  my  neck.  I  've  worn  it  ever  since  I  got 
it  And  I  see  you  each  have  kept  yours  on  your 
watch-guards." 

"  Yes,"  I  said,  "  and  they  're  the  only  things  of  the 
kind  we  saved  from  the  burning  *  Tigris.1  Going  to 
keep  yours  ?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  said  Corny,  warmly. 

"  So  shall  I,"  said  I. 

"  And  I,  too,"  said  Rectus. 

And  then  we  shook  hands,  and  parted. 

THE  END. 


A  List  of 

Novels  and  Stories 

Published  by 

Charles  ScribneS  s  Sons 

ByEDITH     WHARTON 

SANCTUARY 

Illustrations  by  W.  Appleton  Clark 
I2mo,  $1.50 

Mrs.  Wharton's  story,  "  Sanctuary,"  the  first  work  of  any  length 
which  she  has  published  since  The  Valley  of  Decision,  deals  with  a 
psychological  situation  of  a  most  interesting  and  novel  kind,  arising  from 
a  question  of  heredity  and  covering  two  periods  a  generation  apart. 
The  whole  is  worked  out  with  the  subtle  power  which  is  characteristic 
of  Mrs.  Wharton's  best  work,  and  holds  the  reader  intent  on  the  solu 
tion  hidden  until  the  last  from  even  the  cleverest  conjecture. 

25th  THOUSAND 

THE  VALLEY  OF 
DECISION 

I2mo,  $1.50 

"Individual  and  original  to  a  high  degree.  .  .  .  Rare  and 
fine  and  full  of  distinction — curiously  and  lovingly  wrought  by  a  sure 
hand.  ...  A  novel  of  notable  charm  and  ability. 
Very  tubtle  and  artistic,  admirable  in  its  poise,  its  searching  dispassion 
ateness." — HAMILTON  W.  MABIE,  in  the  Neiv  York  Times  Saturday 
Review. 

"It  places  Mrs.  Wharton  at  once  side  by  side  with  the  great 
novelists  of  the  day. " — Boston  Evening  Transcript. 

ft  It  is  a  great  novel,  perhaps  the  greatest  of  its  kind  our  language 
ha*  produced." — Pall  Mall  Gazette. 


By  F.   HOPKINSON    SMITH 

COLONEL  CARTER'S 
CHRISTMAS 

"With   eight   illustrations   in  color  by  F.  C. 
Yohn.     lamo,  $1.50 

Those  (if  there  be  such)  who  are  not  acquainted  with  the  celebrated 
Colonel  Carter  of  Cartersville  will  make  his  acquaintance  under  the 
most  fortunate  circumstances  in  this  story,  which  is  an  entirely  new  one 
not  heretofore  published,  even  serially  ;  while  those  who  know  him  of 
old,  and  of  course  love  him,  will  find  here,  in  addition  to  the  renewal 
of  an  old  and  delightful  friendship,  quite  a  new  revelation  of  a  character 
that  has  made  a  deep  and  lasting  impression  on  both  sides  of  the  sea. 
All  the  old  characters  are  met  again:  Chad,  the  Colonel's  servant, 
Aunt  Nancy,  Fitz,  Klutchem,  and  the  Major,  together  with  two  new 
ones.  In  the  old  story  the  Colonel  triumphed  financially  j  in  this  one 
the  issue  hangs  upon  sheer  courtesy  and  nobility  of  heart.  It  is  a  tale 
that,  for  its  pathos,  its  humor,  and  its  humanity,  as  well  as  for  its 
skillful  telling,  takes  a  strong  grip  of  its  readers. 

THE  UNDER  DOG 

Illustrated.     i2mo,  $1.50 

"  Dramatic,  picturesque,  human,  sympathetic — those,  I  think,  are 
the  epithets  that  a  reader  would  apply  to  the  short  stories  which  Mr.  F. 
Hopkinson  Smith  has  grouped  under  the  rather  odd  title,  4  The  Under 
Dog.'  " — Brooklyn  Life. 

THE    FORTUNES    OF 
OLIVER  HORN 

With   full-page  illustrations  by  Walter 
Appleton  Clark.     i2mo,  $1.50 

"There  will  be  a  general  unanimity,  and  that  is  in  the  cordiality 
with  which  readers  will  recommend  it  to  their  friends." 

— Neiv  York  Commercial  Advertiur. 

"  It  is  long  since  more  charming  characters  were  brought  together 
in  one  book." — New  York  Times  Saturday  Review. 

"  Full  of  warmth  and  life,  while  its  characters  find  a  place  quickly 
in  one's  heart." — Chicago  Record-Herald. 

*^*  For  particulars  concerning  the  Beacon  Edition  of  the  works  of 
F.  Hopkinson  Smith,  sold  only  by  subscription,  send  for  circular. 


By      JOHN      FOX,      JR. 
THE 

LITTLE   SHEPHERD 
OF    KINGDOM    COME 

With  illustrations  by  F.  C.  Yohn 

I2H1O,    $I.5O 

Kingdom  Come  is  the  name  of  a  Tennessee  river,  and  the  characters 
which  give  it  life  and  interest  are  drawn  with  all,  and  more,  of  the 
essential  vitality  and  power  of  expression  which  have  earned  Mr.  Fox 
his  present  standing.  It  is  much  his  most  graphic  and  most  telling  story. 

"  One  of  the  best  stories  of  the  year." — New  Tork  Prat. 

"  With  each  chapter  the  tale  grows  more  interesting." 

— St.  Joseph  Daily  News. 

"The  story  is  peculiarly  sympathetic,  and  the  struggles  of  the  boy- 
mountaineer  to  rise  out  of  his  class  are  depicted  not  only  with  humor, 
but  with  fine  pathos." — Philadelphia  Press. 

CRITTENDEN 

A  Kentucky  Story  of  Love  and  War 
lamo,  $1.25 

"  'Crittenden'  is  a  fine  story,  a  stirring  story  ;  a  story  that  will 
make  every  Southern  man  who  reads  it  feel  like  taking  the  hand  of 
John  Fox  in  a  grip  that  means  more  than  words  ;  a  story  that  will 
make  every  Northern  man  who  reads  it  understand  the  South  a  little 
better  than  he  ever  did  before." — Louisville  Courier-Journal. 

"It  is  the  old  story  of  war,  parting,  and  reconciliation,  but  Mr. 
Fox  has  given  a  new  note  of  sincerity  to  the  theme." 

—  Chicago  Tribune. 

"Mr.  John  Fox,  Jr.,  has  written  a  capital  tale  in  «  Crittenden.1 
It  is  a  sound  book,  with  good,  healthy  adventure  in  it.  ...  This 
it  one  of  the  few  stories  of  the  recent  war  that  strike  one  as  having 
knowledge  and  experience  behind  them." — New  Tork  Evening  Sun. 


By  THOMAS    NELSON    PAGE 

GORDON   KEITH 

Illustrated  by  George  Wright.     iamo,  $1.50 

"  Since  the  publication  of  '  Red  Rock,'  Mr.  Page  has  given  us 
nothing  so  important  as  '  Gordon  Keith,'  a  novel  of  serious  purpose 
and  generous  dimensions,  crowded  with  actors  and  full  of  incident. 
.  .  .  It  is  a  strong,  sincere,  and  deeply  interesting  novel  of 
character  and  of  manners  as  well. ' ' 

— HAMILTON  W.  MABIE,  in  The  Outlook. 


Other  Books  by  Mr.  Page 

A  Captured  Santa  Claus.     Illustrated  in  colors,     12010  .        .  $0.75 
The  Old  Gentleman  of  the   Black  Stock.     With  8  colored 

illustrations  by  H.  C.  CHRISTY.    iamo         ....  1.50 

Santa  Claus's  Partner.    With  illustrations  in  colors.    iamo  .  1.50 


Red   Rock.     A  Chronicle  of  Reconstruction.     Illustrated  by 

CLINEDINST.     i2mo          . 1.50 

Pastime  Stories.     With  illustrations  by  A.  B.  FROST.    iamo  1.25 

In  Ole  Virginia.     Marse  Chan,  atid  Other  Stories.    lamo       .  1.25 

The  Burial  of  the  Guns.     121110 1.25 

On  Newfound  River:    A  Story.     isnio i.oo 

Elsket,  and  Other  Stories.     12010 i.oo 

The  Old  South.    Essays  Social  and  Political.    iamo         .       .  1.25 

New  Uniform  Edition  of  the  above  seven  vols.,  in  a  box     .       .  8.00 


Social  Life  in  Old  Virginia   Before  the  War.     With  many 

illustrations.     lamo 1.50 

In  Ole  Virginia.     With  illustrations  by  FROST,  PYLE,  SMHD- 

LKY,  and  others.     121110 2.50 

In  Ole  Virginia.   [Cameo  Edition.}  With  an  etching  by  W.  L. 

SHKPPARD.    i6mo 1.25 

Marse  Chan.    A  Tale  of  Old  Virginia.    Illustrated.  Small  folio  i.oo 
Meh  Lady.     A  Story  of  the  War.     Illustrated.    Small  folio      .  i.oo 
Polly.     A  Christmas  Recollection.     Illustrated.     Small  folio     .  i.oo 
Unc'  Edinburg.     A  Plantation  Echo.     Illustrated.    Small  folio  i.oo 
"Befo"  de  "War."     Echoes  of  Negro  Dialect.     By  A.  C.  GOR 
DON  and  THOMAS  NELSON  PAGE.     12010      ....  i.oo 

Among  the   Camps,  or  Young  People's  Stories  of  the  War. 

Illustrated.     Square  8vo           .        ......  1.50 

Two  Little  Confederates.     Illustrated.    Square  8vo         .        .  1.50 


By  FREDERICK  PALMER 

THE  VAGABOND 

Illustrated  by  Harrison  Fisher 
I2mo,  $1.50 

Mr.  Palmer's  story  is  the  first  novel  of  a  man  already  distinguished 
as  a  correspondent,  and  known  to  many  readers  by  a  series  of  strong 
short  stories.  "The  Vagabond  "  is  a  novel  into  which  the  Civil  War 
enters  largely,  though  both  the  character  of  its  plot  and  its  chief 
strength  are  determined  not  so  much  by  this  as  by  the  individuality  of 
its  hero — a  memorable  character  whose  "  search  for  a  mountain,  a 
mine,  and  a  girl  "  is  strenuous  and  concentrated  enough  to  belie  his 
ironical  nickname.  The  peculiar  vividness  of  his  pictures  of  the  war 
and  of  the  men  of  the  Volunteer  Army  are  characteristic  of  Mr. 
Palmer,  whose  fighting  has  about  it  neither  nonsense  nor  exaggeration. 

THE  WAYS  OF  THE 
SERVICE 

With  illustrations  from  photographs 
i2mo,  $1.50 

"  Mr.  Palmer  has  made  a  volume  of  such  readable  stories  that  no 
one  who  opens  it  will  leave  it  unfinished." — The  Nation. 

"  We  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  "  The  Ways  of  the  Service  " 
It  the  best  book  of  American  war  stories  written  in  late  yean." 

— Boston  Journal. 

tf  A  book  to  entertain  and  to  delight ;  a  book  that  will  be  found 
to  be  of  absorbing  interest  and  no  little  beauty.  '* — Louisville  Times. 

*'  Eight  exceptionally  bright,  strong,  entertaining  stories.  The 
author  gives  a  lifelike  description  of  the  beings  and  doings  of  certain 
cliques  in  our  army  and  navy  in  the  Far  East. 

— Philadelp.    t  Telegraph. 


By     HENRY     VAN     DYKE 

LITTLE   RIVERS 

With  illustrations  in  color.     i2mo,  $1.50 

A  new  edition,  uniform  with  Dr.  van  Dyke's  success 
ful  volumes  of  stories  "The  Ruling  Passion"  and  "The 
Blue  Flower." 

"  A  volume  full  of  life,  sentiment,  hope,  health,  and  beauty.  Dr. 
van  Dyke  has  both  the  heart  and  touch  of  an  artist  ;  he  feels  instinct 
ively  the  charms  of  the  world  of  woods  and  waters;  he  has  a  loving 
companionship  with  all  sound  human  living,  and  he  has  the  magic  of 
style." — HAMILTON  W.  MABIE. 

THE  BLUE    FLOWER 

With  illustrations  in  color.     i2mo,  $1.50 

"The  stories  in  'The  Blue  Flower'  are  one  and  all  infused  with 
the  spirit  of  a  most  poetic  idealism.  Dr.  van  Dyke  never  obtrudes  his 
moral,  but  it  is  always  there,  and  his  work  is  the  better  for  its  presence. 
He  is  always  seeking  to  give  reality  in  his  pages  to  spiritual  things,  and 
he  succeeds." — Neiv  York  Tribune. 

THE  RULING  PASSION 

"With  illustrations  in  color.     i2mo,  $1.50 

"  The  Ruling  Passion  "  has  sold  more  copies  than  any 
other  volume  of  short  stories,  with  possibly  one  exception, 
previously  published  in  America. 

"  Each  story  has  a  meaning  deeper  and  richer  than  lies  upon  its 
surface.  The  book  cannot  fail  to  leave  its  readers  stronger  in  faith  and 
hope,  more  loyal  to  duty,  closer  to  the  heart  of  man,  nature,  and  God. 

"  It  is  fitting  that  a  book  so  rare  in  quality  should  be  printed  with 
such  distinction." — Neiv  York  Times  Saturday  Review. 


Other  Books  by  Dr.  van  Dyke 

Fisherman's  Luck.     35th  thousand,  xarno        $2.00 

The  Toiling  of  Felix  i.oo 

The  Builders,  and  Other  Poems  i.oo 

The  Friendly  Year  1.45 

The  Poetry  of  Tennyson,      nmo  z.oo 


By     W.    A.     ERASER 

BLOOD    LILIES 

"With    illustrations    by   T.    F.     Schoonover 
I2mo,  $1.50 

A  new  story  by  this  popular  author,  told  with  his  peculiar  concen 
tration  and  intensity.  The  scene  is  the  north  country  of  Canada  beyond 
Winipeg,  and  the  characters,  each  drawn  to  the  life,  are  the  frontier 
Scotch,  and  French  Canadians,  Indians,  and  half-breeds  of  that  roman 
tic  region.  The  atmosphere  of  a  strange  and  romantic  land  is  every 
where  felt  as  a  quality  of  the  story,  which,  dramatic  and  pathetic  in  a 
remarkable  degree,  illustrates  the  manners  and  habits  of  a  wild  and 
picturesque  community  with  vivid  power. 

THE   OUTCASTS 

"With  illustrations  by  Arthur  Heming 
Crown  8vo,   $1.25  net.     (Postage    n    cents) 

"It  has  the  freedom  and  mystery  of  that  great  unknown  country 
up  towards  the  Arctic  circle,  and  the  fascination  of  animal  existence. 
The  writing  is  charming  —  almost  flawless  ;  it  is  pathetic,  curious,  in 
teresting.  The  woodcraft  and  the  intimate  knowledge  of  animal  life 
and  habits  is  a  revelation.  The  book,  with  its  spirited  pictures  by 
Arthur  Heming,  makes  a  splendid  and  inexpensive  gift." 

—  Chicago  Tribune. 

MOOSWA  and  OTHERS 
of  the  BOUNDARIES 

With  illustrations  by  Arthur  Heming 
Crown  8vo,  $2.00 


"  In  these  stories  we  find  somewhat  of  a  return  to  the 
presentation  of  animals,  touched  by  the  spirit  of  modernity,  and,  thrown 
over  them  all,  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  animal  life  of  the  wilder 
ness."  —  Afew  Tork  Mail  and  Express. 

11  One  of  the  best  nature  books  ever  published."  —  Brooklyn  Eagle. 


By  CYRUS  TOWNSEND  BRADY 

HIS  GREAT  SUCCESS 

THE     SOUTHERNERS 

Illustrated  in  color  by  Geo.  'Wright,  the 

vignettes  by  Louis  D.  Arata. 

i2mo,  $1.50 

"A  brave  story,  bravely   told." 

— New  York  Commercial  Advertiser. 

"A  straightforward,  slashing  story,  sure  to   be  popular.** 

— Neiv  York  Evening  Sun. 

"  The  book  again  exemplifies  the  combination  of  manliness  and 
sentiment  which  characterizes  Mr.  Brady's  other  stories." — The  Dial. 

"He  seldom  misses  writing  a  thoroughly  captivating  story.  .  .  . 
All  the  characters  are  Southerners  of  various  types,  and  all  are  well 
drawn." — The  Reader. 

"Of  enthralling  interest  to  old  soldiers  on  both  side»  and  to 
others  who  like  stirring  war  tales."  —  The  Outlook. 

"A  charming  love  story." — Chicago  Inter-Ocean. 

" A  iolid,  straightforward  piece  of  work." — Chicago  Evening  Post. 


Other  Books  by  Mr.  Brady 

For  Love  of  Country.      A  Story  of  Land  and  Sea  in  the 

Days  of  the  Revolution.      iamo     .          .          .  .1.25 

For  the  Freedom  of  the  Sea.     A  Romance  of  the  War 

of  1812.      Illustrated.      I2mo         .          .          .  .1.50 

The  Grip    of   Honor.     A  Story   of  Paul  Jones   and  the 

American  Revolution.      Illustrated.      I2mo       .  .      1.50 

Under  Tops'ls  and  Tents.     Illustrated.     12010   .         .      1.50 
Recollections  of  a  Missionary  in  the  Great  West. 

With  portrait.      izmo  .          .          .          .          .1.25 

BOYS  OF  THE  SERVICE  SERIES 
In  the  Wasp's  Nest.     The  Story  of  a  Sea- Waif  in  the 

War  of  1812.      Illustrated.    8vo.    (  Pottage,  15  cents.  ) 

Net  .         .         .          .          ..         .          .          .    ^1.20 

In  the  War  with  Mexico.     A  Midshipman's  Adventures  on  Ship 

and  Shore.     Illustrated,  8 vo.     (Postage  15  cents.)    Net      1.20 


By  ERNEST  THOMPSON  SETON 

LIVES  OF  THE 
HUNTED 

Illustrated  ^.vith  more  than  200  drawings  by 

the  author.     Square  i2mo,  $1.75  net 

(postage,  15  cents) 

"  Should  be  put  with  Kipling  and  Hans  Christian  Andersen  as  a 
classic." — The  Atbeneeum  (London}. 

44  All  these  stories  are  well  worth  reading.  In  fact,  they  are  as 
good  things  of  their  kind  as  have  ever  been  done." — London  Spectator. 

"  Admirers  of  '  Wild  Animals  I  Have  Known,'  and  they  are  de 
servedly  many,  will  not  be  disappointed  in  '  Lives  of  the  Hunted.'  " 

—  NCIV  York  Tribune. 

WILD  ANIMALS  I 
HAVE  KNOWN 

Illustrated  with  more  than  200  drawings  by 
the  author.     Square  i2mo,  $2.00 

"  Surely  one  of  the  most  fascinating  studies  of  animal  life  ever  given 
to  the  world." — London  Daily  News. 

"The  originality  and  freshness  of  these  stories  is  irresistible." 

— Mr.  William  T.  Hornadayy  Director  of  the  Neiv  York 
Zoological  Park. 

THE  TRAIL  OF  THE 
SANDHILL  STAG 

Illustrated.     4to,  $1.25 

"  Bliss  Carman,  speaking  of  '  The  Trail  of  the  Sandhill  Stag,'  says  : 
'I  had  fancied  that  no  one  could  touch  "The  Jungle  Book"  for  a 
generation  at  least,  but  Mr.  Seton  has  done  it.  We  must  give  him 
place  among  the  young  masters  at  once.'  And  we  agree  with  Mr. 
Carman."  —  The  Bookman. 

"  The  story  is  a  capital  one — a  hunter's  yarn  with  an  infusion  of 
poetry,  and  a  touching,  finely  conceived  denout.mtnt.'" — The  Dia!. 


By       J.       M.       BARRIE 
THE 

LITTLE  WHITE  BIRD 

or,  Adventures  in  Kensington  Gardens 
I2mo,  $1.50 

"  All  of  the  qualities  which  have  endeared  the  author  of  '  Senti 
mental  Tommy  *  to  hundreds  of  readers  —  his  whimsical  humor,  his 
pathos,  his  little  unexpected  touches  of  sympathetic  insight  —  all  are 
here  to  an  unusual  degree.  There  is  an  exquisite  tenderness  through 
out  these  chapters  that  makes  one  linger  over  them.  There  can  be 
no  question  that  this  is  Mr.  Barrie  at  his  best." 

—  The  Neiv  York  Commercial  Advertiser. 

SENTIMENTAL 
TOMMY 

With  ii  full-page  illustrations   by  William 
Hatherell.     I2mo,  $1.50 

"  We  are  inclined  to  think  it  the  best  book  he  has  written.  .  . 
Mr.  Barrie  has  not  only  been  a  boy,  like  the  rest  of  us,  but  hai  re 
mained  one  at  heart,  as  few  of  the  rest  of  us  succeed  in  doing.  And 
his  Tommy  is  one  of  the  most  genuine  boys  in  literature.'* —  The  Dial. 

tf  A  masterpiece  which  no  reader  of  contemporary  literature  can 
afford  to  miss."  —  Cincinnati  Times-Star. 

TOMMY  AND  GRIZEL 

With  ii  full-page  illustrations  by  Bernard 
Partridge.     I2mo,  $1.50 

"  For  once  the  uncomplimentary  adage  about  sequels  must  be  re 
versed.  .  .  .  '  Tommy  and  Grizel '  is  the  work  of  a  master  artist. 
.  .  .  He  has  looked  deep  into  the  human  heart  and  knows  all  its 
passions,  yet  his  work  is  as  pure  as  sunshine.  .  .  .  He  has  created 
a  book  whose  life  will  not  be  spanned  by  a  year  or  a  decade." 

—  Chicago  Tribune. 

Other  Books  by  Mr.  Barrie 

Margaret  Ogilvy.     By  Her  Son.     With  etched  portrait.    iamo    $1.25 

A  Window  in  Thrums.     [Cameo  Edition.}     With  an  etched 

frontispiece.     i6mo 1.25 

Auld  Licht  Idylls.    [Cameo  Edition.}    With  an  etched  por 
trait.     i6mo         ...  ......      1.25 

$**  For  particulars  concerning;  The  Thistle  Edition  of  the  Works 

of  J.  M.  BARRIE,  sold  only  by  subscription,  send  for  circular. 


By     FRANCES     POWELL 

A  remarkable  first  book 

THE   HOUSE 
ON   THE   HUDSON 

I2mo,  $1.50 


Three  weeks  after  publication  this  book  stood  second 
in  the  list  of  best  sellers  in  New  York. 


"'The  Houie  on  the  Hudson,'  by  Frances  Powell,  is  in  its  way 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  books  that  we  have  read  in  a  long  time. 
.  .  .  There  is  an  undeniable  power  in  it  that  dominates  you  for 
the  time  and  that  makes  you  think  of  the  power  which  Charlotte 
Bronte  shows  in  the  most  memorable  chapters  of  'Jane  Eyre.'  There 
is  a  certain  likeness  between  the  two  books,  both  in  their  defects  and 
in  their  merits.  .  .  .  Its  author  has  talent  and  something  more 
than  talent,  and  in  spite  of  all  the  limitations  which  still  hamper  her 
she  has  written  a  book  one  cannot  readily  forget  or  cease  to  talk  about." 
— Professor  HARRY  THURSTON  PICK,  Editor  of  the  Bookman, 

11  It  is  not  like  anything  else  in  recent  fiction." 

— Chicago  Inter-Ocean. 


"A  new  author  of  fiction  possessing  inherent   power.      .      . 
Frances  Powell  is  certainly  gifted  with  wonderful  imagination.** 

— San  Francisco  Chronicle. 


"  If  you  want  to  recommend  a  book  to  your  friends  that  will  make 
them  sit  up  nights  or  miss  their  station,  just  tell  them  from  me  to  try 
'The  House  on  the  Hudson.'  " — Harper's  Weekly. 


By   JOSEPHINE    DASKAM 

MIDDLE-AGED 
LOVE  STORIES 

With  portrait  frontispiece.     i2mo,  $1.25 


"  There  are  seven  of  the  little  stories,  all  clever,  all  with  a  touch 
of  agreeable  humor.  .  .  .  and  they  make  an  agreeable  book." 

— Boston  Journal. 

"  Clever,  very  much  so,  are  all  the  tales  in  this  book,  and  they 
will  please  readers  of  all  tastes." — Nashville  American. 

"Stories  with  'atmosphere'  as  the  critical  lingo  goes,  but  more 
particularly  vivacious  and  amusing  stories  calculated  to  afford  to  the 
reader  that  agreeable  satisfaction  which  he  has  a  right  to  expect." 

— New  York  Sun. 

"All  Miss  Daskam's  work  is  interesting,  but  no  book  of  hen  has 
seemed  to  us  more  pleasing." — The  Churchman. 

"The  Stories  in  this  collection  are  abundantly  clever,  every  one 
of  them  showing  the  fine  work  which  is  so  marked  a  characteristic  of 
this  author's  endowment." — Brooklyn  Eagle. 


Other  Books  by  Miss  Daskam 

Whom  the  Gods  Destroyed.     iamo         .        .         .     £1.50 
Fables  for  the  Fair.     (Postage  8  cents.}     Net      .         .       i.oo 

The  Imp  and  the  Angel.   Illustrated.    (Postage  to  cents.) 

Net     .         .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .1.10 

Sister's  Vocation,  and  Other  Girls'  Stories,     iamo       1.15 
Smith  College  Stories,     izmo          .         .        .        .1.50 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 

AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.OO  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


APR  16  1336 

APR  21  19 

16 

MriB   •*• 

rvn        -•«'-.     4 

MAR  28  19  ' 

LD  21-100m-7,'33 

34041 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


